USDA-ARS Bioinformatics Fellow

*Applications are reviewed on a rolling-basis.

ARS Office/Lab and Location: A research opportunity is currently available with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), located in Little Rock, Arkansas.

The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency with a mission to find solutions to agricultural problems that affect Americans every day from field to table. ARS will deliver cutting-edge, scientific tools and innovative solutions for American farmers, producers, industry, and communities to support the nourishment and well-being of all people; sustain our nation’s agroecosystems and natural resources; and ensure the economic competitiveness and excellence of our agriculture. The vision of the agency is to provide global leadership in agricultural discoveries through scientific excellence.

Research Project: In the United States of America, there is an increase in chronic disease in children such as obesity, allergies, cardiovascular, neurocognitive issues over the last two decades. Scientists at MMRU generate a large amount of omics data (i.e., sequencing, metabolomics, proteomics) as part of the ARS project plan to address research questions on how early life factors (i.e., mothers diet, physical activity, stress, and neonatal diet) play a role in natural gut microbes function and lifelong health outcomes in children (i.e., obesity, allergies, immune function, brain development and metabolic health). The project hopes to accomplish the following:

Objective 1: Evaluate the role of diet and/or physical activity on gut microbiota and its impact on health during different stages of infant and child development. 

Objective 2: Investigate the impact of maternal dietary components and early life stress on the gut microbiota and its impact on maternal-child health. 

Objective 3: Elucidate the role of gut microbiota and human milk components on offspring health.

The ORISE fellow will have the opportunity to engage in cutting-edge research involving omics data analyses, including microbiome (e.g., metagenome, 16S), metabolomics, proteomics, transcriptome, single-cell, and Ataq Seq. The fellow will also explore data integration techniques, apply machine learning approaches, and utilize high-performance computing resources to contribute to achieving the project objectives.

Learning Objectives:
With guidance and mentorship, the participant will embark on a hands-on learning journey to:

1. Develop Analytical Expertise: Learn how to design and implement pipelines for microbiome data analyses, including 16S and metagenomics, gaining practical experience in processing and interpreting complex datasets.
2. Explore Proteomics and Metabolomics: Acquire knowledge of advanced approaches to analyze and integrate proteomics and metabolomics data, building a strong foundation in multi-omics analysis.
3. Apply Omics Data Techniques: Gain proficiency in utilizing pipelines for Ataq Seq, transcriptome, and single-cell omics data analyses, while developing the skills to interpret and analyze the resulting data effectively.

This experience will provide the participant with a unique opportunity to develop technical expertise, problem-solving skills, and a deeper understanding of omics research methodologies in a collaborative and innovative environment.

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Laxmi Yeruva (laxmi.yeruva@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).

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

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

Level of Participation: The appointment is full time.

Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. The anticipated stipend range is $59,000.00 - $64,000.00 annually.

Citizenship Requirements: This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens only.

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 ARS. Participants do not become employees of USDA, ARS, 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: Please visit our Program Website. After reading, if you have additional questions about the application process, please email ORISE.ARS.Southeast@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a master's degree in the one of the relevant fields (e.g. Biomedical sciences or Microbiology or Biochemistry or Nutrition). Degree must have been received within the past one year, or anticipated to be received by 1/1/2026.

Preferred skills:

• Omics data analyses experience and track record to showcase knowledge in using phyton/R. 

Stipend

$59,000.00 – $64,000.00 Yearly

Point of Contact

Janeen