Housing Support: Housing stipend up to $5,000 for the entire Fellowship is authorized based on actual expenses incurred.  Fellow will be required to provide documentation to validate reimbursement. 

Housing Description: Fellow will be responsible for locating and securing suitable housing. The housing stipend would cover any short-term lease for housing in the City of Bismarck. Public transportation is available to commute to the duty station. A federal vehicle is available for all field work associated with the project.

Valid Driver’s License: Required

Transportation Support Description: Public transportation is available to commute to the duty station. A federal vehicle is available for all field work associated with the project.

Position Description: The North Dakota Ecological Services Field Office is in the rolling hills along the Missouri River, which is centrally located in North Dakota. The field work is in a variety of diverse and beautiful landscapes in the rugged badlands, Missouri Coteau slope, and drift prairie ecosystems. Pollinator species of concern include the federally threatened Dakota skipper, monarch, regal fritillary, and to many other declining pollinator species.

Factors responsible for pollinator declines include habitat loss in the form of conversion of grasslands to row crop agriculture and the invasion of non-native cool season grasses out competing native species on local grasslands. Management of grassland may also be responsible for declining pollinator species. Effective evaluation to determine the effect of management practices requires plant and pollinator inventory data. Historic pollinator distribution is available for some sites to determine changes over time in these species. Current data on pollinator species is essential to evaluate currently listed trust resources, and to evaluate potential candidate species that may be listed in the future.

To implement this position, the selected Fellow will be responsible for:

• Collecting data on pollinators and vegetation, including species richness, species distribution, species abundance;
• Training with an Ecological Services biologists in North Dakota to learn pollinator, vegetation, and data analysis skills; and
• Report analyzing trends in the vegetation composition, pollinator richness, presence of trust pollinator species, and historic abundance of pollinator species at various sites throughout North Dakota.

Minimum Education Level: Open for consideration to undergraduate rising seniors/seniors and graduate students who will not complete their degree requirements before September 22, 2024.

Fields of Study:

• Biological Sciences
• Education/Outreach

Working Conditions Requirements: 

• Ability to conduct field work involving hiking up to 10 miles and carrying equipment up to 50 pounds for multiple consecutive days in various weather conditions.

Desired Characteristics: 

• Interpersonal communication skills
• Teamwork skills