USDA-ARS BOR Processing Fellow
Application Deadline
7/31/2026 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), Bio-Oils Research Unit in Peoria, Illinois.
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.
Scientists in the Bio-oils Research Unit (BOR) develop new commodity plant oils and commercially viable industrial bio-based products from new and existing vegetable oils that are technically and economically competitive with or superior to comparable existing commercial petroleum-derived materials.
Research Project: The research aims to develop new products and markets from novel and commodity oilseed crops to support U.S. Agriculture. This research will develop processes to produce new and alternative feedstocks and novel co-products for use in biofuels, hydraulic fluids, greases, lubricants, detergents, cosmetics, food and feed, and other biobased products that can compete effectively in the marketplace. Pilotscale trials will generate materials that meet the specifications of their intended applications. The resulting technologies will be transferred to processors interested in producing materials derived from new crops.
The participant will be part of collaborative research on developing methods for rapid chemical analysis of new germplasm and breeding lines and developing integrated processes to obtain oil, protein, wax, gums, and fibers. Results generated through this project will be communicated to the scientific community through conference presentations and peer reviewed publications. Learn more about the research being conducted at NCAUR: https://www.ars.usda.gov/midwest-area/peoria-il/national-center-for-agricultural-utilization-research/bio-oils-research/.
Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of a mentor, you will have the opportunity to learn to: innovate oilseed crops, develop and optimize processes that convert novel and commodity oilseed crops into alternative feedstocks and co-products, trial to produce materials that meet industry performance specifications, understand the principles of technology transfer and emerging biobased technologies, conduct rapid chemical analyses of new germplasm and breeding lines, design and implement integrated processing approaches to fractionate crops, collaborate in multidisciplinary research teams, and communicate scientific findings effectively through conference presentations and peer-reviewed publications.
Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Roque Evangelista (roque.evangelista@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: August 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 is $74,678 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.Midwest@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
Qualifications
The qualified candidate should have received or be currently pursuing a doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields (Food Engineering, Food Chemistry, Agricultural Biosystems Engineering). Degree must have been received within the past five years or be currently pursuing.
Preferred skills:
- Knowledge of the principles of analytical chemistry relevant to seed composition analysis.
- Knowledge in process systems engineering, separation science, unit operations across laboratory, pilot, and production scales.
- Knowledge of crop science, production, and postharvest management.
- Experience in oilseed processing, milling, oil extraction, and oil refining.
- Problem-solving skills.
- Interpersonal and team collaboration skills
- Demonstrated communication skills (oral and written).
Stipend
$74,678.00 Yearly
Point of Contact
Eligibility Requirements
- Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
- Degree: Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 months or currently pursuing.