Employment Opportunities

PhD Assistantship - Forest Operations

The project involves developing a new geospatial forest operations and mobility model based on first principles of physical mechanics. The model will be linked with a growth and yield model (FVS) and a forest hydrologic model (FASST), in order to represent below-canopy terramechanic relationships among forest microclimate, equipment, and soil physical properties, and their coupled effect on operational systems used in forestry. The new model will be validated in a designed experiment with operational data collected in 24 active logging operations in the northwestern U.S., stratified by slope, time of year, equipment type, and stand conditions. Predictions will be compared with those from a commonly used logging production and cost simulator that was dveloped using data from a limited range of stand and site conditions. In the second phase of the research, we will deploy the new model, coupled with the FVS Fire and Fuels Extension, to evaluate interactions among silvicultural systems, forest operations, and forest microclimate on the University of Idaho Experimental Forest. Forest planning methods will be used to solve multi-objective forest management planning problems for over 600 stands on the University of Idaho Experimental Forest. The multi-objective planning problems will integrate spatial planning and operational objectives and constraints related to silvicultural and operational systems, stand structural characteristics and adjacency patterns on the landscape, wildland fire, and hydrology. Within that general framework, the student will have some freedom to develop original research questions based on his or her interests, and develop supporting studies. Contact Rob Keefe if interested.

MS Assistantship: Modeling fuel treatment longevity, cost effectiveness of fuels treatments, and biomass utilization

The project involves developing a new version of the Fuels Reduction Cost Simulator model that is programmed in R. Supporting field studies will be carried out to characterize new equipment for woody biomass utilization, and the simulation model will be adapted to incorporate these systems. The model will then be integrated into the BioSum suite of programs and used to evaluate the cost effectiveness and longevity of fuel treatments in dry ponderosa pine forests in the western United States, both with and without biomass utilization. The Research Assistant will be advised by Dr. Robert Keefe at the University of Idaho, and will work with collaborators at the Pacific Northwest Research Station (Jeremy Fried) and Rocky Mountain Research Station Moscow Forest Sciences Lab (Terrie Jain). Contact Rob Keefe if interested.

To apply, complete a graduate application to the University of Idaho.

Forestry Research Assistantships

Department of Forest, Rangeland and Fire Sciences & Bioregional Planning and Community Design Program
Start Date: August 2013

The Department of Forest, Rangeland and Fire Sciences (FRFS) and the Bioregional Planning & Community Design Program (BIOP) at the University of Idaho are recruiting two graduate masters-level research assistants (RA). The RAs include a monthly stipend, tuition and fees.

Faculty in FRFS and BIOP will jointly advise the RAs. In addition to completing a thesis in FRFS, the RAs will earn the 15-credit BIOP certificate.

RA responsibilities include:

• Working with BIOP faculty and students on the Northwest Advanced Renewables Alliance project analyzing supply chain assets to support a wood-based biojet fuel industry in the Pacific Northwest
• Working with Forestry faculty to develop operational methods to harvest and transport woody biomass
• Working with Extension Forestry faculty conducting research and outreach to develop woody biomass options for private forest owners, loggers, and natural resource professionals.

To Apply:

Complete a graduate application to the University of Idaho.
Admissions is based on undergraduate grades, evidence of ability to complete graduate-level work, letters of recommendation, GRE scores, and the compatibility of the student’s educational and career objectives with areas of concentration in the department. For more information, please visit the Forest, Rangeland, and Fire Sciences website.

Questions? Please contact:

Robert Keefe, FRFS Department, (208) 885-7517
Randy Brooks, Extension Forestry Specialist – FRFS, (208) 885-6356
Tammi Laninga, Bioregional Planning, (208) 885-7117

MS Research Assistantship - Forest Operations

Position: A 2-year M.S. Research Assistantship is available in the Forest Operations Research Lab at the University of Idaho, beginning in Summer or Fall 2013.

Duties: The Research Assistant will address research questions associated with a USDA-funded research project evaluating economic impacts of biofuels in the Inland Northwest. The assistantship involves (1) evaluating different woody biomass removal methods in the field, and (2) using GIS and models to study regional options for producing aviation biofuels from woody biomass. The student will have the opportunity to conduct field work on the University of Idaho Experimental Forest and evaluate regional biomass utilization scenarios with forest managers and a multidisciplinary group of faculty in the Office of Community Partnerships, the Dept of Forest, Rangeland, and Fire Sciences, the Dept. of Business, and the Dept of Geography.

Qualifications: The successful applicant will have an undergraduate degree in forestry or a closely related field, good GRE scores and transcripts, and a genuine interest in conducting science that both improves the field of forestry and provides alternatives to the use of fossil fuels.

Assistantship: An out-of-state tuition waiver and graduate stipend is available.

To apply: Students interested in applying should contact Rob Keefe, Assistant Professor of Forest Operations, by email as soon as possible to discuss the opportunity. Please attach a copy of your CV. Transcripts, names of three references, and GRE scores will also be required for application to the Graduate School.

PhD student research assistantship: MODIS-Landsat data fusion for high spatial resolution burned area mapping

Dr. Luigi Boschetti is seeking a highly motivated student to pursue a Ph.D. in Natural Resources at the Department of Forest, Rangeland and Fire Sciences at the University of Idaho. The successful candidate will be involved in NASA funded research on burned area mapping with MODIS and Landsat satellite data, using automatic image understanding techniques. The student will interact with project personnel at partner institutions of the University of Maryland and South Dakota State University.

The research assistantship will have duration of three years, starting in August 2013. The assistantship includes a stipend of $19450 per annum, plus coverage of tuition, fees and medical insurance. Applicants should have a master's degree, a background in remote sensing, with preferably computer programming and quantitative analysis skills. Strong writing skills and the ability to communicate effectively are essential. US citizenship is not required; the university is an AA/EEO employer and encourages applications from women and minorities.

The University of Idaho is located in a small and friendly university town, with low cost of living, a stimulating cultural life and exceptional opportunities for outdoors activities. UI was ranked in 2012 among the top 25 colleges for adventure-seekers by ‘Outside’ magazine.

To apply, please email Luigi Boschetti a cover letter describing your research interests, goals and relevant experience, a complete CV, college transcripts, GRE scores and contact information of three referees.

Review of applications will begin immediately, and the position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found. After the selection, the successful candidate will apply to be admitted to the College of Graduate Studies of the University of Idaho; detailed information about the application procedure for national and foreign students is available online.

PhD Assistantship–Carbon Cycle impacts of Using Forest Harvest Residues for Bioenergy

The University of Idaho is one of the few universities in the US that use energy generated from logging residues to heat its campus (Science 2009, 323:1432-3). The presence of the UI Experimental Forest on nearby Moscow Mountain provides an opportunity to study the long-term effects of collecting the residual material that is usually left to decay or burned after forest harvest. We offer a Ph.D. assistantship that would address the practical, but scientifically compelling question of how greenhouse-gas emissions are affected by either a) burning residues on-site or b) collecting residues for fuel compared to unharvested controls. The student will be responsible for the measurement of forest carbon pools as well as the fluxes of carbon (CO2, CH4) and nitrous oxide from the soil after the various treatments. We would also encourage the parameterization of models that describe these fluxes and changes in forest productivity under the varied treatments. We encourage creativity and student initiative in designing the remainder of the dissertation. The PhD student will be part of the PhD program in the UI College of Natural Resources and will be primarily advised by Dr. John Marshall, with additional supervision by collaborators Dr. Alan Talhelm and Dr. Mark Coleman. Another related and concurrent forest bioenergy research project overseen by Dr. Coleman, which investigates impacts on tree growth, soil quality, wood decomposition, and diversity of fungi and invertebrates, provides clear opportunities for collaboration among a large group of investigators and a cohort of several new graduate students. Funding has been granted for a 3.5 year research assistantship, covering tuition and a stipend. To enquire about this position or to apply send an email to John Marshall (jdm@ uidaho.edu) or Alan Talhelm (atalhelm@uidaho.edu). Applicants should send 1) a letter of interest and qualifications, 2) a resume that includes three references, 3) GRE scores, and 4) transcripts. We will begin to review applications on September 1st.