ERDC-CERL: Wildland Fire Science - Master's or Doctoral

Organization

U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)

Reference Code

ERDC-CERL-2026-0002

How To Apply

Click on APPLY now to start your application.

Description

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL) develops and infuses innovative technologies to provide excellent facilities and realistic training lands for the Department of Defense, the U.S. Army and many other customers while also supporting ERDC’s research and development mission in geospatial research and engineering, military engineering, and civil works.

ERDC-CERL directs its research efforts toward increasing the Army’s ability to more efficiently design, construct, operate and maintain its installations and contingency bases and to ensure environmental quality and safety at a reduced life-cycle cost. Excellent facilities support the Army’s training, readiness, mobilization and sustainability missions. Adequate infrastructure and realistic training lands are critical assets to installations in carrying out their military missions. Efficient contingency bases, which minimize the use of external resources and the generation of waste and enhance relations with local communities, are critical for successful deployments in all situations from disaster response and humanitarian assistance to stability operations and conflicts.

What will I be doing?

You will learn from senior researchers to develop a global scale, medium resolution wildland fire hazard algorithm, as well as developing a fire severity database. You will be involved with estimating wildland fire hazard for DOD regional areas of focus. You will gain experience building on research components from our existing team. Additional projects will include research in the development of fire fuels models and wildfire forecasting. You will pursue new theoretical approaches for advances in technologies associated with military training lands and natural lands and apply knowledge in GIS and Remote Sensing to develop guidance and procedures for identification of trends, develop best practices, and model effectiveness to assist in wildland fire management. The team conducts fundamental and applied research that couples remote sensing, LiDAR, etc. to optimize training land and wildland management. You will develop proficiency in Phython and/or R coding to facilitate remotely sensed data sets and developed algorithms for identification of wildland fire occurrence, severity, and other trends. You will also have the opportunity to develop strong skills in the development of peer reviewed and technical reports.

Why should I apply?

This fellowship provides the opportunity to independently utilize and improve your research skills while engaging with subject matter experts on innovative ideas to move the proposed research forward. There are multiple opportunities available to engage in your applied research and evaluation interests.

Where will I be located? Champaign, Illinois

What is the anticipated start date? February 2026

ERDC-CERL is ready to make appointments immediately. Exact start date will be determined at the time of selection and in coordination with the selected candidate.

What is the length of the appointment?

This appointment is a full-time twelve-month research appointment. Appointments may be extended depending on funding availability, project assignment, program rules, and availability of the participant.

What are the provisions?

You will receive a stipend to be determined by ERDC-CERL. Stipends are typically based on the participant’s academic standing, discipline, experience, and research facility location. Other provisions may include the following:

• Health Insurance Supplement. Participants are eligible to purchase health insurance through ORISE.
• Relocation Allowance
• Training and Travel Allowance

About ORISE

This program, administered by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and DoD. Participants do not enter into an employee/employer relationship with ORISE, ORAU, DoD or any other office or agency. Instead, you will be affiliated with ORISE for the administration of the appointment through the ORISE appointment letter and Terms of Appointment. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Health insurance can be obtained through ORISE. For more information, visit the ORISE Research Participation Program at the U.S. Department of Defense.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will have a master's or doctoral degree or currently pursuing in Wildfire Ecology, Ecology, Geospatial Information Specialist, Geography, Environmental Engineer, Earth and Geosciences, or other related fields. Knowledge in GIS and remote sensing is a plus.

Application Requirements

A complete application consists of:

• Zintellect Profile
• Educational and Employment History
• Essay Questions (goals, experiences, and skills relevant to the opportunity)
• Resume (PDF)
• Transcripts/Academic Records - Please upload a copy of a transcript for your current or most recent degree program that meets the disciplinary qualifications of the opportunity. Click here for detailed information about acceptable transcripts.
• One recommendation. We encourage you to contact your recommender(s) as soon as you start your application to ensure they are able to complete the recommendation form and to let them know to expect a message from Zintellect. Recommenders will be asked to rate your scientific capabilities, personal characteristics, and describe how they know you. You can always log back in to your Zintellect account and check the status of your application.

Submitted documents must have all social security numbers, student identification numbers, and/or dates of birth removed (blanked out, blackened out, made illegible, etc.) prior to uploading into the application system. All documents must be in English or include an official English translation. If you have questions, send an email to [email protected]. Please list the reference code of this opportunity in the subject line of the email. Please understand that ORISE does not review applications or select applicants; selections are made by the sponsoring agency identified on this opportunity. All application materials should be submitted via the “Apply” button at the bottom of this opportunity listing. Please do not send application materials to the email address above.

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Point of Contact

Debbie

Eligibility Requirements ">17 )

• Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
• Degree: Master's Degree or Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 months or currently pursuing.
• Discipline(s):
  • Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (