The USDA Forest Service (USFS) and, starting this year, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), through partnership with The Wildlife Society, are offering research assistantships for Native undergraduate or graduate students as part of the Native American Research Assistantship Program for Summer 2023.

Assistantships are intended for Native students interested in wildlife and forest resource research and management. Students will learn and work with an interdisciplinary team of researchers with the USFS and USGS. Applicants should be a member of an American Indian or Alaska Native tribe, First Nations or a Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, or have another indigenous identification, and be currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program from an accredited academic institution.

Pursuit of a bachelor’s or master’s degree in wildlife biology, ecology, forestry or other closely related natural resource discipline is preferred. Students with related associate’s degrees from tribal colleges and universities or other community colleges will also be considered.

Students may have the opportunity to assist in publishing manuscript(s) in peer-reviewed journals, popular press, and/or present findings at scientific meetings along with USFS R&D and USGS scientists (dependent on travel funding). Students and scientists will integrate Indigenous Traditional Ecological Knowledge (ITEK) and expertise held by Tribes and Native communities and western science to sustain and restore ecosystems.