USDA-ARS Field and Lab Fellowship
Application Deadline
11/20/2026 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), Agriculture Research Service (ARS), located at Temple, Texas.
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.
The Grassland, Soil & Water Research Laboratory in Temple, TX conducts research on how to improve agronomic and economic efficiencies for row crops and grazing lands that will also reduce the producer's environmental impact. This opportunity is in support of the Conservation Effects Assessment Project that evaluates conservation practices with special emphasis on water quality and soil health.
Research Project: During this fellowship, you will have the opportunity to be involved in research that supports the Conservation Effects Assessment Project that evaluates conservation practices in row crops and grazinglands with special emphasis on water quality and soil health. You will gain knowledge of common field and laboratory experimental procedures and how to operate equipment in both the field and lab environment. Under the guidance of a mentor, you will have the opportunity to participate in field research that may include collecting soil, plant or water samples, making treatments for field experiments (e.g., planting seed or applying fertilizer). Field equipment may include tractors, planters and hay equipment. Please note that field research may occur during adverse weather (e.g., extreme heat or cold, during rainfall events). Laboratory activities may include processing soil, plant or water samples for analysis, performing standardized analyses or running laboratory equipment to analyze chemical constituents of soil, plant and water samples.
Learning objectives: During this opportunity, under the guidance of a mentor, you will:
- Learn how conservation practices in row-crop and grazingland systems affect water quality and soil health.
- Gain hands-on experience with common field and laboratory experimental procedures used in agricultural and environmental research.
- Develop skills in collecting soil, plant, and water samples under field conditions.
- Learn to establish and maintain field experiments, including planting seed, applying fertilizer, and implementing other experimental treatments.
- Become familiar with agricultural field equipment, including tractors, planters, hay equipment, and precision-agriculture monitoring systems.
- Gain experience researching safely and effectively in varied field conditions, including heat, cold, and rainfall events.
- Learn how precision-agriculture data are collected, managed, and used to support research in conservation practices.
- Develop laboratory skills for processing soil, plant, and water samples for chemical and physical analysis.
- Gain experience conducting standardized laboratory analyses and operating instruments that measure chemical constituents in environmental and agricultural samples.
Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Douglas Smith (douglas.r.smith@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: October 2026. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.
Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for six months, but may be renewed upon recommendation of ARS and is contingent on the availability of funds.
Level of Participation: The appointment is full time.
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.Plains@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
Qualifications
The qualified candidate should have received or be currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in one of the relevant fields.
Preferred skills:
- Experience operating farm equipment (e.g., tractors, planters, hay equipment, etc.,) and/or laboratory equipment (spectrometers, gas chromatograph, etc.,).
- Experience collecting and processing soil, plant or water samples for agronomic or water quality research.
Stipend
$3,300.00 – $4,600.00 Monthly
Point of Contact
Eligibility Requirements
- Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree.
- Minimum Overall GPA: 2.00