USDA-ARS Research Fellowship for Biological Control of Emerald Ash Borer
To submit your application, scroll to the bottom of this opportunity and click APPLY.
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.
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*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 Newark, Delaware.
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 research fellow will participate in collaborative research on biological control of emerald ash borer at the USDA ARS Beneficial Insects Introduction Research Unit. Research will occur both in a laboratory quarantine facility and in forests across the U.S. Under the guidance of a mentor, the research fellow will: 1) initiate and maintain a variety of insect colonies including the emerald ash borer and its egg or larval parasitoids so that sufficient numbers of these insects are available during specified periods in order to conduct experiments and 2) conduct field experiments to delineate host association of egg parasitoids and impact on emerald parasitoids and other non-target Agrilus pest in Northern U.S..
Learning Objectives: Through participation in the research project, the participant will learn principles of classical biological control as well critical thinking skills and methods in designing laboratory and field experiments for studying the behavior, biology, and ecology of the invasive pest and its natural enemies. In addition, the participant will learn methods for assessing the impacts of introduced natural enemies on its targeted pest population and the subsequent ecological recovery of ash forest recovery.
Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Jian Duan (jian.duan@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: October 2025. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.
Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for 9 months but may be renewed upon recommendation of ARS and is contingent on the availability of funds.
Level of Participation: The appointment is full time or part time.
Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. Stipend range estimated $3,500 - $4,500 monthly
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 ORISE.ARS.Northeast@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a bachelor's or master's degree in the one of the relevant fields (e.g. biology, entomology, ecology or related fields). Degree must have been received within the past five years or is anticipated to be complete prior to start of appointment.
Preferred skills:
- Biology
- One year of experience with wood-boring insects and their parasitoids
- A bachelor's degree in biology with at least 12 credits in entomology or a master's degree in entomology
- Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree or Master's Degree received within the last 60 months or currently pursuing.
- Discipline(s):
- Veteran Status: Veterans Preference, degree received within the last 120 month(s).
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