USDA-ARS Postdoctoral Fellowship in Modeling Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens of Animal Populations

Organization
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Reference Code
USDA-ARS-2022-0101
How to Apply

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A complete application consists of:

  • An application
  • Transcript(s) – For this opportunity, an unofficial transcript or copy of the student academic records printed by the applicant or by academic advisors from internal institution systems may be submitted. All transcripts must be in English or include an official English translation. Click here for detailed information about acceptable transcripts.
  • A current resume/CV, including academic history, employment history, relevant experiences, and publication list
  • Two educational or professional recommendations

All documents must be in English or include an official English translation.

Application Deadline
4/6/2022 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone
Description

*Applications may be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

ARS Office/Lab and Location: A postdoctoral research opportunity is currently available with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS) at the Animal Disease Research Unit located in Pullman, Washington.

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 USDA-ARS Animal Disease Research Unit performs basic and applied research on infectious diseases of agricultural animals to provide solutions to problems that have significant economic impact on the US livestock industries. The ADRU vector-borne disease research group works on several key diseases of livestock, including bovine babesiosis, bovine anaplasmosis, bovine theileriosis, and equine piroplasmosis. The selected participant will collaborate closely with a team of entomologists, Veterinary Medical Officers, Microbiologists, and Immunologists to use exiting datasets to develop models to understand the biology and ecology of ticks and tick-borne diseases.

The goal of this project is to develop practical sustainable solutions to mitigate the impact of tick-borne diseases. Specifically, modeling ticks and tick-borne pathogens of animal populations. 

Learning ObjectivesThe candidate can expect to learn and expand skills to analyze data, create, and validate new models of ticks and tick-borne diseases, and write manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals.

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Massaro Ueti (Massaro.ueti@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: April 2022.  Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for two years, 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 USDA-ARS@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should have received a doctoral degree in entomology, biology, ecology, mathematical sciences, or related fields. Degree must have been received within the past five years.

Although prior experience with pathogens is not required, candidates whose prior work has focused on pathogens (particularly theoretical models of pathogen spread) are highly encouraged to apply.

Preferred skills:

  • Excellent track record of publications
  • Strong programming and statistical skills
  • Highly skilled in analyzing ecological data (areas such as population dynamics, time-series, epidemiology, and landscape ecology are highly desirable)
  • Highly detail-oriented, with the ability to organize projects and prioritize work with minimal supervision
  • Interested in collaborative research and engaging with scientists from interdisciplinary backgrounds
Eligibility Requirements
  • Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
  • Degree: Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 month(s).
  • Discipline(s):
    • Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (5 )
    • Life Health and Medical Sciences (12 )
    • Mathematics and Statistics (11 )
    • Social and Behavioral Sciences (1 )
  • Veteran Status: Veterans Preference, degree received within the last 120 month(s).