USDA-ARS Postgraduate Research Associate Fellowship
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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.
*Applications are reviewed on a rolling-basis.
ARS Office/Lab and Location: A postgraduate research opportunity is available with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Eastern Regional Research Center (ERRC) located in Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania.
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: Under the guidance of a mentor, the postgraduate fellow will conduct research on non-targeted identification and targeted quantitative analysis of per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) in foods and food contact materials.
Learning Objectives: The participant will learn to conduct research in the food safety arena, gain new knowledge on developing novel advanced analytical techniques for food safety monitoring; and evaluate the analytical performance aspects of different types of advanced instrumentation. This research will give the postgraduate participant exceptional hands-on knowledge and skills involving the use of advanced analytical tools that will be invaluable to their future career development.
Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Yelena Sapozhnikova yelena.sapozhnikova@usda.gov
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: April 1, 2024
Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be 12 months.
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.Northeast@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
The qualified candidate should have received a master's or doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields, or be currently pursuing one of the degrees with completion before December 1, 2024. Degree must have been received within the past three years.
Preferred Skills:
- Advanced knowledge of liquid chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry
- Experience with operation and knowledge of Orbitrap mass spectrometer (MS) instruments and software
- Knowledge and experience in non-targeted screening and identification of organic chemicals by Orbitrap MS
- Experience with operation and knowledge of triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (MS) instruments and software
- Experience and skills in sample preparation
- Knowledge of statistical analysis, data handling and data analysis
- Publications in peer-reviewed journals are considered evidence of the preferred skills mentioned above
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