USGS Testing the Bats and Wind Attraction Hypothesis

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education; Fort Collins (CO); On-site; USD 22,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education is offering a 10-week research opportunity with the U.S. Geological Survey in Fort Collins, CO. You will contribute to a dynamic occupancy modeling project evaluating bat attraction to wind-energy infrastructure.

Mentored by USGS scientists, the program provides a stipend and hands-on experience with NABat data, model development, and spatial analytics. Start date June 15, 2026; appointment is full-time.

Qualifications

• Degree in Chemistry, Materials Sciences or a related field.
• Discipline areas include Chemistry and Materials Sciences and related fields.
• Recent graduates within the last 48 months or anticipated by 6/1/2029.

Responsibilities

• Compile NABat hoary bat data and extract acoustic detections.
• Develop and test a within-season dynamic occupancy model.
• Evaluate wind-energy covariate effects on immigration and persistence.
• Synthesize occupancy maps and movement patterns for reporting.
• Prepare maps, figures, and briefing materials for dissemination.

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree

Job description

How To Apply

To submit your application, scroll to the bottom of this opportunity and click APPLY.

• An application
• Transcript(s) – For this opportunity, an unofficial transcript or copy of the student academic records printed by the applicant or by academic advisors from internal institution systems may be submitted. Click here for detailed information about acceptable transcripts.
• A current resume/CV, including academic history, employment history, relevant experiences, and publication list
• Two educational or professional recommendations.
  
  

Organization

U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI)

Reference Code

DOI-USGS-2026-24

How To Apply

To submit your application, scroll to the bottom of this opportunity and click APPLY.

A Complete Application Consists Of

• An application
• Transcript(s) – For this opportunity, an unofficial transcript or copy of the student academic records printed by the applicant or by academic advisors from internal institution systems may be submitted. Click here for detailed information about acceptable transcripts.
• A current resume/CV, including academic history, employment history, relevant experiences, and publication list
• Two educational or professional recommendations.
  
  

All documents must be in English or include an official English translation.

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Description

• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.
  
  

USGS Office/Lab and Location: A research opportunity is currently available with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) located in Fort Collins, Colorado.

The USGS mission is to monitor, analyze, and predict current and evolving dynamics of complex human and natural Earth-system interactions and to deliver actionable intelligence at scales and timeframes relevant to decision makers. As the Nation's largest water, earth, and biological science and civilian mapping agency, USGS collects, monitors, analyzes, and provides science about natural resource conditions, issues, and problems.

Research Project: Wind energy development has expanded rapidly across North America, and with it, concerns about unintended impacts on migratory and tree-roosting bat species. Despite more than a decade of study, the mechanisms driving high bat fatality rates at wind turbines remain only partially understood. A growing body of evidence suggests that bats are not merely encountering turbines by chance—they are often attracted to these structures. This attraction appears to operate across multiple spatial scales, from the immediate vicinity of turbine blades to broader landscape-level patterns that influence when and where bats interact with wind facilities.

Although attraction to turbines is increasingly recognized, the underlying sensory mechanisms, behavioral drivers, and spatial scales of influence remain insufficiently resolved. This uncertainty limits the development of effective mitigation strategies that could reduce fatalities without compromising energy production. A clearer understanding of how and why bats are drawn to turbines—especially at spatial scales relevant to management—would directly support ongoing DOI commitments to wildlife conservation, migratory species protection, and responsible renewable energy expansion.

The goal of this project is to evaluate mechanisms underlying seasonal hoary bat occurrence, movement dynamics, and potential attraction to wind-energy infrastructure by leveraging the North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat) data and applying innovative dynamic occupancy modeling approaches.

• Activity 1. Rapid compilation and preprocessing of NABat hoary bat data (Weeks 1–2)
• Extract hoary bat acoustic detection histories and associated spatial/effort metadata from NABat.
• Standardize data formats, apply quality filters, and construct detection–non-detection histories suitable for dynamic modeling.
• Prepare preliminary spatial layers to support model covariates.
• Activity 2. Develop a prototype within-season dynamic occupancy model (Weeks 2–5)
• Implement a simplified but robust dynamic occupancy framework focused on estimating bi-weekly immigration and persistence at a 10x10km grid cell.
• Conduct rapid diagnostics and cross-validation to ensure the model is stable and fit for exploratory inference within the shortened timeline.
• Produce initial occurrence and movement-related probability surfaces across the study period.
• Activity 3. Evaluate wind-energy covariate effects to test the attraction hypothesis (Weeks 4–7)
• Integrate turbine-related covariates (facility proximity, turbine density, landscape context) at multiple spatial scales (e.g., 1–10 km).
• Run model scenarios to estimate effects of turbine features on immigration and persistence parameters.
• Identify preliminary evidence of attraction-consistent movement or site reuse.
• Activity 4. Rapid assessment of existing hoary bat occupancy maps as predictors of summer directional movement (Weeks 6–8)
• Compile legacy NABat occupancy maps for hoary bats.
• Compare directional patterns (e.g., latitudinal or elevational gradients) against outputs from the new within-season model.
• Assess alignment and identify areas where static occupancy surfaces fail to capture movement trends.
• Activity 5. Synthesis, visualization, and short-form reporting (Weeks 8–10)
• Integrate findings across tasks to outline key spatial and temporal patterns of potential turbine attraction.
• Create preliminary maps, summary figures, and short briefing documents.
• Prepare a concise final report or draft publication summarizing model behavior, initial findings, uncertainties, and recommendations for follow-on action.
  

Learning Objectives: This 10-week research experience will provide you with an intensive, hands-on professional development opportunity that aligns with the mission-driven projects of the U.S. Geological Survey. You will gain:

• Applied experience in ecological modeling and data science.
• You will research directly with large-scale NABat datasets and implement dynamic occupancy modeling—high-value analytical skills applicable to wildlife research, conservation, and quantitative ecology.
• Mentorship from USGS scientists.
• Under the direction of a mentor you will contribute meaningfully to an active research project.
• Experience with national-scale monitoring data.
• Exposure to NABat data systems, workflows, and data standards will strengthen the your capability to engage with large ecological datasets and open-science practices.
• Insight into federal science careers and collaborative research.
• Through interactions with the ECOTECH branch and NABat program collaborators, you will learn how federal scientists design, manage, and communicate research that informs resource management.
• A focused research product.
• By the end of the 10-week period, you will contribute to preliminary model outputs, draft maps, or briefing materials, building a substantive, portfolio-ready example of applied scientific research.
  

Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Brian Reichert ([e-mail]). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: June 15, 2026. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for 10 weeks, but may be renewed upon recommendation of DOI and is contingent on the availability of funds.

Level of Participation: The appointment is full time.

Participant Stipend: Stipend rates may vary based on numerous factors, including opportunity, location, education, and experience. If you are interviewed, you can inquire about the exact stipend rate at that time and if selected, your appointment offer will include the monthly stipend rate.

Citizenship Requirements: This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR), and foreign nationals. Non-U.S. citizen applicants should refer to the Guidelines for Non-U.S. Citizens Details page of the program website for information about the valid immigration statuses that are acceptable for program participation.

ORISE Information: This program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and USGS. Participants do not become employees of USGS, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Health insurance can be obtained through ORISE.

Questions: If you have questions about the application process please email [e-mail] and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a bachelor's or master's degree in the one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within the past four years, or anticipated to be received by 6/1/2029.

Point of Contact

Rachel

Eligibility Requirements">12 )

• Degree: Bachelor's Degree or Master's Degree received within the last 48 months or anticipated to be received by 6/1/2029 12:00:00 AM.
• Discipline(s):
• Chemistry and Materials Sciences (
• Analytical Chemistry
• Bio-inorganic Chemistry
• Bio-organic Chemistry
• Biophysical Chemistry
• Chemistry (General)
• Environmental Chemistry
• Inorganic Chemistry
• Materials Sciences
• Organic Chemistry
• Physical Chemistry
• Polymer Chemistry
• Theoretical Chemistry
• Communications and Graphics Design (2 )
  
  
  • Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (17 )
    
    
    • Earth and Geosciences (21 )
      
      
      • Engineering (29 )
        
        
        • Environmental and Marine Sciences (14 )
          
          
          • Life Health and Medical Sciences (51 )
            
            
            • Mathematics and Statistics (11 )
              
              
              • Physics (16 )
                
                
                • Science & Engineering-related (2 )
                  
                  
                  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (29 )