USDA-ARS Postdoctoral Fellowship in Weed Science

Organization
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Reference Code
USDA-ARS-2022-0196
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. 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
7/4/2022 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone
Description

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

ARS Office/Lab and Location: A postgraduate research opportunity is available with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign's Department of Crop Sciences located in Urbana, 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.

Research ProjectThe successful candidate will participate closely with a team aimed at developing knowledge, models, and decision tools that ultimately reduce the risk that weeds pose to food production in the face of climate variability.  The over-arching objectives are to 1) improve the understanding of the influence of climate variability on crop and weed management outcomes, and 2) explore the integration of new chemical and non-chemical tactics for managing weeds in Midwest specialty crops.  Research activities include: 1) conducting field and greenhouse-based research, 2) conducting laboratory-based assays, as needed, 3) organizing and analyzing data, 4) presenting research results, and 5) writing manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed journals.  The incumbent will exercise significant independence in decisions related to day-to-day work.

Learning ObjectivesUnder the guidance of a mentor, learning objectives are to 1) develop new knowledge of crop and weed ecology essential to the development of novel weed management tactics, and 2) contribute towards development of cropping systems which are sustainable, profitable, and resilient to climate change. 

The candidate will participate in and present research at ARS unit meetings. The candidate also will have opportunities to participate in outreach through interactions with the University of Illinois, Department of Crop Sciences and at professional meetings. 

Mentor(s)If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact Martin Williams (martin.williams@usda.gov).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: July 5, 2022. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment LengthThe 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 ParticipationThe appointment is full-time.

Participant StipendThe participant(s) will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. 

Citizenship RequirementsThis 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 InformationThis 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. However, this position requires a pre-employment check and a full background investigation. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Health insurance can be obtained through ORISE.

This is an equal opportunity program open to all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, mental or physical disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, or covered veteran’s status.

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 one of the relevant fields, or be currently pursuing the degree with completion by the appointment start date.

Candidates that have the desire to conduct original research in crop and weed management are preferred.

Eligibility Requirements
  • Degree: Doctoral Degree.
  • Discipline(s):
    • Life Health and Medical Sciences (9 )