Author: Jaclyn Witterschein

Data Analyst Opening with Schoodic Institute

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The Schoodic Institute at Acadia National Park is hiring a 2-year Data Analyst position that will work closely with the National Park Service Inventory and Monitoring Division to compile, analyze, and publish long-term monitoring data collected in national parks in the Midwest Region.

Job Title and Description: Data Analyst

FLSA Status: Full-Time, Year-Round, Non-Exempt (Benefits Eligible)

Supervisor(s) (external): Kate Miller, PhD, Quantitative Ecologist with the National Park Service-Northeast Temperate Network Inventory and Monitoring Division, additionally, Schoodic Institute staff may provide guidance and oversight on a project-by-project basis for collaborative ad-hoc assignments

Work Location: This role is based in Winter Harbor, ME. While on-site presence is preferred, we are open to discussing hybrid or remote work schedules. This position is not eligible for relocation reimbursement.

Vacancies: 1 position Duration: 2-year position starting in February 2026.

Job Announcement Opening Dates: December 17, 2025 to January 9, 2026.

Primary Role: This position will work closely with the National Park Service (NPS) Inventory and Monitoring Division (IMD), which conducts baseline inventories and long-term monitoring to help inform park management decisions. While decades of data have been collected by IMD throughout the NPS, the full value of these data can only be realized when they are easily accessible and actionable for field managers, planners, and decision makers. The objectives of this position are to improve access to IMD data, primarily for Midwest Region parks, through developing user-friendly, accessible platforms and tailored analyses. Deliverables include trend analyses, automated reports, and data visualization dashboards that improve accessibility, data quality, interpretation, integration, and application of IMD datasets, and that are in support of conservation science, resource management, and public communication. Deliverables will be accessible to NPS managers, along with park stakeholders and the public, where feasible. The ideal candidate will be a collaborative professional with strong communication skills and the ability to work independently. Please note that employment is contingent upon a federal background check and favorable adjudication. We aim to have this role filled by February 2026.

See position description for more detailed information. Application deadline is January 9, 2026. To apply, please visit the online application portal.

Invasive Plant Management with Great Lakes Science Center

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U.S. Geological Survey”s (USGS) Great Lakes Science Center solicits research on development of environmentally friendly bioherbicides and strategies to control invasive Phragmites australis and other invasive plants. This project will be a collaborative effort to explore the role of microbial endophytes in enhancing the growth and stress tolerance of invasive Phragmites australis and use that information to develop a new, low-toxicity bioherbicide that offers resource managers more treatment options for this noxious plant and, ultimately, results in a highly efficient and effective approach that reduces costs, improves efficiency, and lays the foundation for development of similar products targeting other invasive plant species that degrade valuable agricultural, range, and natural lands. Past and ongoing investments in this line of research are producing promising new technologies that are supported by several patent applications and patents, some of which have already been licensed by commercial entities. However, additional work is needed in field testing and development as commercial partners are engaged. The proposed collaborative work will fill the research gap and work to generate a new model for combating invasive species by reducing their competitive abilities through targeting their symbiotic association using low-toxicity compounds or antagonistic microbes.

Funding Source: U.S. Geological Survey

Funding Amount: $498,392

Deadline: Jan 17, 2026. Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 PM, ET, on the listed application due date.

Read more about this opportunity and apply.

Apply for Acadia Science Fellowship By 10/30

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The 2026 Acadia Science Fellowship applications are open. Learn more or register for the informational webinar on September 11th.

For more than a century, scientists have contributed to the understanding of Acadia’s unique geography, geology, ecology, biodiversity and climate, an understanding and appreciation that inspired creation of the national park. For 25 of those years, as a National Park Service Research Learning Center and Acadia National Park’s primary partner in science and education, Schoodic Institute has supported research to address the most urgent resource management needs in and beyond the park.

We are honored to continue this important work, and invite early-career researchers to join us by submitting proposals for 2026 Acadia Science Fellowships. We invite researchers from a wide variety of disciplines to apply for these $30,000 awards, but proposals must address priority resource management issues in Acadia. The deadline for proposals is October 30, 2025.

A webinar overview of the fellowship, the application process, and park research priorities will be held on Thursday, September 11 at 1:00 p.m. ET. Interested applicants should register for the webinar.


The Acadia Science Fellowship is supported in part by the David Evans Shaw Family Foundation, building on the success of the Second Century Stewardship fellowship program founded by David Shaw in 2016. Additional funding is provided by the Sibley-Saltonstall Family Foundation, and individual donors.

Visit schoodicinstitute.org/acadiasciencefellowship/ for more information, webinar registration, and the application portal.


RFP – 2026 Acadia Science Fellowship

Statements of Interest: NASO/DNA/NALFF, NWA, and NLON T&E, SAR Species and Habitat Surveys

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The purpose of this scope of work is to implement cost-effective and standardized surveys for various species and habitats within the project areas. The principal investigator will carry out plans, deploy necessary hardware, provide data analysis, and provide reports and recommendations for inclusion into installation’s Integrated Natural Resource Management Plans, respectively and other decision documents. Projects identified in this SOW consist of sampling for flora and fauna (priority on State and Federally listed and at-risk species), habitat monitoring and management and wildlife management. Physical surveys will provide quality assurance checks for previously collected data and document new species occurrences and new habitats. Habitat management activities will allow the installations to respond quickly to pest, disease, invasive species, and environmental change threats. Projects related to wildlife management will inform and assist with human/wildlife conflict, protect sensitive habitats, and evaluate potential for management and recreational opportunities. See attachments for additional information.

Funding Source: Department of the Navy
Funding Amount: Cost estimate requested (see RSOI).
Deadline: July 25, 2025

For more information, see Statement of Work, Request for Statements of Interest, and Point Paper.

Vegetation Management for Natural Resources Branch, Fort Drum, NY

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Statements of Interest requested to provide the necessary personnel, vehicles, equipment, and materials required to conduct vegetation management for undesirable species for the Fort Drum Natural Resources Branch/Environmental Division located at Fort Drum, NY. The scope of this agreement includes supporting the Fort Drum program manager (PM) by providing technical support for execution of the Installations current invasive species management program effort that includes floral identification and surveys; managing primarily invasive and noxious plant species including with the use of herbicides; and developing, testing and analyzing the effectiveness of treatment options. This work requires onsite support personnel located at Fort Drum, NY.

Award Amount: $234,154 for base year (twelve months from award date). Additional funding may be available to the successful recipient for optional tasks and/or follow on work in subsequent years.

Statements of Interest Due: 2:00 P.M., Central Time, on 30 January 2025

Preparation of your Statement of Interest:

Provide the following (Maximum length: 2 pages, single-spaced, 12 pt. font):
1. Name, Organization, CAGE Code, Unique Entity ID, CESU Region, and Contac Information (Email)
2. Brief Statement of Qualifications (including): a. Biographical sketch of the Principal Investigator, to include specific experience and capabilities in areas related to this project’s requirements; b. Relevant past projects and clients with brief descriptions of these projects; c. Staff, faculty or students available to work on this project and their areas of expertise; d. Brief description of other capabilities to successfully complete the project: (e.g. equipment, laboratory facilities, greenhouse facilities, field facilities, etc.).

Submit Statement of Interest to:

Sandy Justman
Grants Specialist, USACE, Fort Worth District
sandra.justman@usace.army.mil
817-886-1073

Chanley Jenkins
Project Manager, USACE, Fort Worth District
chanley.r.jenkins@usace.army.mil
Office: 918-671-9132

Find more information in the attached RSOI.

B01-RSOI Package Veg Mgmt Ft Drum 30Dec24Download

Position: Plant Ecologist, Tribal Coastal Restoration

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Purpose: The Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Branch of Tribal Climate Resilience (TCR) is excited to announce a Request for Statements of Interest (RSOI) to coordinate with a Plant Ecologist on Tribal coastal restoration. The Plant Ecologist position will be funded by TCR through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law’s Ecosystem Restoration Program to assess the botanical/native seed and plant materials needs, and to provide technical support for Tribes who are relocating, retreating, expanding, or utilizing protect-in-place measures to address climate-induced erosion and similar impacts.

Submission Deadline: Friday, January 31st, 7:59 pm Alaska Daylight Time / 11:59 pm Eastern Daylight Time

Eligibility: All CESU Partnering Institutions and Organizations – please fwd to your complete list of Regional CESU Partners

Please see the attached RSOI, Position Description, and Statement of Work for more information. Please reach out to both Alyssa Morris (alyssa.morris@bia.gov) and John Mosley (john.mosley@bia.gov), who are copied on this email, for any questions and to submit Statements of Interest.

Coastal Relocation Plant Ecologist RSOI 2024.12.02Download
SOW – Coastal Restoration – Plant Ecologist 2024.12.02Download
PD-Tribal Coastal Restoration – Plant Ecologist 2024.12.02Download

From Fawns to Bucks: The Science of Deer Counting

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From August to October in 2020 and 2021, Dr. H. Bryan Underwood of USGS Eastern Ecological Science Center and Dr. Donald Leopold of SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry studied white-tailed deer in the fertile forests of Delaware. Their goal was to develop a cost-effective and efficient method for estimating deer populations without disrupting park staff. With the help of two graduate students, the researchers explored various existing deer counting methods to estimate the populations in both the First State National Historical Park and the adjacent Brandywine Creek State Park.

The professors conducted their study using two different field methods simultaneously. One approach involved distance sampling, which required two spotters per vehicle along various accessible roads, while the other utilized a total of sixteen baited and unbaited infrared cameras in areas unreachable by distance sampling. Underwood and Leopold decided that “placing bait, corn weighing just shy about twenty-three kilograms in a V pattern roughly five meters apart from the camera, would be the best way to attract as many deer as possible.” Bait was replenished and resulting data collected weekly, and each year, when  October arrived, the cameras were removed from the parks. 

One of the professors’ analyses involved sorting images by gender and age group and assigning a species label to create a unique identity for each male based on the number of antler points. These data were used to estimate the deer population with two ratio estimation approaches (Jacobson’s method and Bowden’s estimator). To eliminate overlapping data, the cameras captured loitering deer in bursts of photos separated by three minute intervals in 2020 then extended to five minute intervals in 2021. When questioned about the most noteworthy discovery Underwood stated, the most interesting, but perhaps not surprising, finding was that counts conducted from roads (as opposed to off-road using trail cameras) almost always produced lower estimates of abundance. Underwood also discussed critical facts about climate change and its impact on deer populations in the Northeast. He observed that while harsh winters can reduce deer mortality rates, exposure to novel infections, such as Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease virus (EHD), could significantly increase deer deaths. At smaller protected areas like First State National Historical Park, budget constraints often limit staffing for deer population surveys. The professors aimed to identify an effective and economical method for estimating deer populations without overburdening staff.

Furthermore, projects like this offer valuable research experiences for graduate students, exposing them to real-world challenges and fostering collaboration with agency personnel. Such opportunities help students discover their professional paths. By leveraging their existing skills, they enhanced the research project’s value, transforming a seemingly routine inquiry into something more impactful.

Above shows a photo from September 16, 2020 taken on one of the infrared cameras.
This photo is from September 13, 2020 taken on an infrared camera.
The photo features, from left to right, Sonja Werth Bookout, the natural resource manager for the National Parks Service; a graduate student in the center, Madison Hand; and Dr. H. Brian Underwood, one of the project leads, on the right.

Compiled and written by Shanea Togninalli, NAC CESU Student Assistant at the University of Rhode Island.