USDA-ARS Fellowship in Unlocking the Genetic Potential of Germplasm Collection Through New Biological Tools

*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 Miami, Florida.

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 SHRS location in Miami is working on three CRIS Research Projects related to subtropical. The appointee will be a part of a collaborative endeavor focused on preserving and characterizing genetic resources for various diseases, including laurel wilt of avocado. Key objectives encompass conducting research and characterizing plant collections to identify desirable traits, such as resistance to disease and abiotic stresses, conducting lab, greenhouse, and field experiments, and analyzing data sets to evaluate plants for their economic traits and genetic relationships. Additionally, the fellow will learn about investigating and publishing research outcomes as scientific articles to contribute to the resolution of agricultural challenges.

Learning Objectives: This fellowship will provide an excellent opportunity to expand their knowledge of other pathogens and further their expertise in genetics, molecular biology, and new sequencing techniques for subtropical crops. This experience will broaden skills and prepare them for future roles as a plant geneticist/plant pathologist.

Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Sukhwinder Singh (Sukhwinder.Singh@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: September 2024. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length: The appointment will be for two years.

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, Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR), and foreign nationals. Non-U.S. citizen applicants should refer to the Guidelines for Non-U.S. Citizens Details page of the program website for information about the valid immigration statuses that are acceptable for program participation.

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 doctoral degree in the one of the relevant fields (e.g. Plant Pathology, Plant breeding, Plant Genetics, Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics). 

Preferred skills:

• Knowledge of plant computational biology, molecular biology, genetics, statistical analysis, and multi-omics analytical skills.
• Knowledge of field research is helpful for collaboration with plant scientists in screening experimental germplasm.
• Experience and expertise in lab, greenhouse, and field experiments characterizing germplasm collection for biotic and abiotic stresses.
• Perform DNA extractions, RNA extractions, polymerase chain reactions, and gel electrophoresis.
• Experience in performing Sanger and Next Generation Sequencing. Analyze resulting data using bioinformatic tools.
• Experience in data organization, interpretation, and preparation for manuscript publishing.
• The appointee's methodologies encompass various skills, including plant pathology, plant breeding, bioinformatics, plant genetics, statistics, and molecular biology techniques.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python, Bash, R, SQL, and UNIX shell scripting and experience with data science tools and statistical modeling with large biological datasets and NGS are highly advantageous for this research endeavor.

Eligibility Requirements

• Degree: Doctoral Degree.