Description

We are recruiting one graduate student (Ph.D. or M.S., depending on qualifications) as a National Graduate Research Trainee (NRT) funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to conduct research on prairie pothole sediment cores in the U.S. Northern Great Plains. Multiple proxies will be analyzed from these cores including stable isotopes, charcoal, and potentially pollen with the key goal being to reconstruct historic fire regimes. The fellowship will be awarded to an incoming student pursuing on-campus doctoral or master's degree within the Department of Earth System Science and Policy (ESSP) at the University of North Dakota (UND). The selected NRT fellow to work on this specific project will be jointly advised by the ESSP and the USDA ARS Northern Plains Agricultural Research Laboratory station in Montana.

The selected NRT fellow will receive training in:

• marketable and transferable interdisciplinary skills, including processing soil samples
• conducting research projects related to agricultural and natural systems
• quantitative and analytical skills through programming and other advanced technologies
• professional skills such as presenting research findings at conferences and through publications.

The NRT fellow can expect the freedom to pursue research questions of their interest within a paleoecological context, under the guidance of the graduate committee.

The positions are expected to start as early as in summer 2026 for 4 years for the on-campus Ph.D. student and 2 years for the on-campus M.S. student. The NRT fellowship will cover full tuition for the degree program and a $37,000 lump-sum stipend upon successful completion of the MS thesis or Ph.D. dissertation proposal exams. To receive NRT stipend support and a tuition waiver, NRT fellow applicants must be U.S. citizens.

The UND NRT program aims to advance interdisciplinary research and training by strengthening research collaboration with various partners, including federal, regional, and state government agencies, industries, research institutes, and Tribal research institutes. The main research theme of the UND NRT program is to train next generation resource managers with converging technologies for sustainable uses of water and land. The NRT program emphasizes the importance of understanding foundational science and mastering a combination of advanced technologies, including both physical/technical (“hard”) skills, and interpersonal (“soft”) skills, to prepare the next generation of resource managers to meet societal responsibilities and advance their individual career development.

Requirements

The required qualifications for the candidate to work on this project are:

• Demonstrated interest in environmental science, geology, paleoecology, or related science
• Demonstrated experience in forming research questions, methodologies, and publishable scientific reporting
• Comfort working around wetlands in remote or rural areas and has a valid driver’s license.

The preferred qualifications are:

• Previous experience with soil sampling or obtaining and processing sediment cores
• Experience with stable isotope analysis, charcoal identification, and some pollen identification skills.

To be eligible for our graduate program, applicants must meet the minimum academic requirements. Please refer to the UND’s graduate school website for further information. More details about the Ph.D. degree in Earth System Science and Policy or Master degrees offered by ESSP, please refer to the UND ESSP website.

Applications will be reviewed immediately and continue until all the positions are filled.