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• An application
• Transcripts – 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.

*Applications are 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), Food Quality Laboratory (FQL) located in Beltsville, Maryland.

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 mission of the Food Quality Laboratory (FQL) is to conduct research on fruits, vegetables, and grains to develop technologies that reduce postharvest losses and improve sensory, nutritional, and functional quality. Specific goals are to 1) develop improved methods to control ripening, senescence, and physiological and pathological disorders, and reduce loss of constituents contributing to flavor, aroma, and nutrition; 2) determine the role of key genes that regulate produce quality changes, particularly as affected by environmental conditions, decay and fresh-cut processing; 3) develop analytical methods and instrumentation for objective measurement of quality-related properties of fruits, vegetables, and grain; and 4) transfer technology to the public, sister agencies, industry associations, and other stakeholders.

Throughout the course of this research project, the participant will contribute to the design and implementation of experiments in the laboratory and greenhouse analyzing fruit and microgreens (young leafy vegetables) growth, quality and phytochemical accumulation after physical or chemical treatments/stresses and underlying gene changes in response to the stresses. Under the guidance of a mentor, the participant will: 1) contribute to the diligent and timely design and implementation of experiments; 2) complete data analysis and interpretation; 3) prepare manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals.

Learning Objectives: As a result of this training, the participant will improve their skills in plant molecular biology, -omics and postharvest biology.

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Tianbao Yang (tianbao.yang@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: January 2, 2024.  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. The current stipend for this opportunity is $72,000 per year.

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.Northeast@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

The qualified candidate should have received a doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields, or be currently pursuing the degree with completion before June 30, 2024. Degree must have been received within nine months of the appointment start date.

Preferred skills:

• Hands-on experience with analytical chemistry such as HPLC, as well as horticulture techniques
• Additional experience working in molecular biology and bioinformatics 
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to conduct themselves well in a collaborative research atmosphere

• Degree: Doctoral Degree received within the last 9 months or anticipated to be received by 6/30/2024 11:59:00 PM.
• Discipline(s):
  • Life Health and Medical Sciences (11 )