USDA-ARS Plants Research Graduate Fellow
Application Deadline
6/19/2026 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone
Description
*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 East Lansing, Michigan.
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: The participant will be involved into an ongoing, collaborative project focused on identifying and selecting novel sources of disease resistance in beet. The participant will help collect field, lab and greenhouse-based samples for disease detection and high molecular weight DNA extractions. Under the guidance of a mentor, the participant will be exposed to the research cycle.
Learning Objectives: The participate will gain hands on learning opportunities in high molecular weight DNA extractions, field experiment design and data collection, experimental design, plant pathogen isolation and inoculations, as well as bioinformatics, and statistics.
Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Rachel Naegele (rachel.naegele@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: 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.
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.Midwest@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
Qualifications
The qualified candidate should have received or be currently pursuing a bachelor's or master's degree in one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within the past one year and six months or be anticipated to receive by December 31, 2028.
Point of Contact
Eligibility Requirements
- Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree or Master's Degree received within the last 18 months or anticipated to be received by 12/31/2028 11:59:00 PM.