The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass 193 million acres (780,000 km²).  Major divisions of the agency include the National Forest System, State and Private Forestry, and the Research and Development branch.

Postgraduate fellowships projects are available at the Research and Development Branch and the National Forest System (administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education). 

Research and Development works at the forefront of science to improve the health and use of our nation's forests and grasslands.  Research has been part of the Forest Service mission since the agency's inception in 1905.  Today, some 500 plus Forest Service researchers work across the country and internationally in a range of biological, physical, and social science fields to promote sustainable management of the nation's diverse forests and rangelands.  The work has a steady focus on informing policy and land management decisions, whether it addresses invasive insects, degraded river ecosystems, or sustainable ways to harvest forest products.

The National Forest System manages public lands, known collectively as the National Forest System, located in 44 States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. The lands comprise 8.5 percent of the total land area in the United States. The natural resources on these lands are some of the Nation's greatest assets and have major economic, environmental, and social significance for all Americans.