DELIVERING MISSION-DRIVEN SCIENCE FOR A CHANGING WORLD: THE ROLE OF THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

When the USGS was founded in 1879, its mission was to provide the science needed for a physically expanding nation. Today that expansion is in population, in the economy, and in technology. The need has never been greater for policy-relevant but policy-neutral science brought to bear on the environmental, resource, and public safety issues confronting the nation today. As the science arm of the Department of the Interior, the USGS seeks to deliver actionable information to those who need it the most, including underserved communities, in a form they can use. Our mission areas cover ecosystems, energy and mineral resources, natural hazards, and water resources, along with the core science systems that underpin our entire mission space.

To accomplish its mission, the USGS relies on a wide range of scientific disciplines working together to tackle these complex challenges. With 68 science centers broadly distributed across the landscape, the USGS offers many opportunities to contribute to science that cooperators and stakeholders rely on from the local to the global scale. We are seeking to bring on board the next generation of public servants to grow our transdisciplinary capacity and ensure the USGS never fails in delivering on our mission, even as demands for our science changes. In cultivating that next generation, the USGS is committed to draw from a broader pool to engage, recruit, and retain new talent.

In my own career, I first worked for the USGS right out of college thanks to a NAGT/USGS Summer Field Camp Fellowship. Today what is known as the Cooperative Summer Fellowship Program has expanded to multiple scientific societies. The USGS has also built educational partnerships with minority-serving institutions, cooperates with the National Science Foundation on graduate student internships, and has college partnerships in neurodiversity. Our Mendenhall postdoctoral program brings approximately 40 scientists per year to the USGS. Several other postdoctoral programs can result in placement at the USGS such as the science and technology policy fellowships of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. The Pathways program is another key opportunity for students and recent graduates with several components including the Presidential Management Fellows program. You can learn more about employment opportunities at USGS by visiting www.usgs.gov.