USDA-ARS Fellowship on Molecular and Genomic Sequencing of High-consequence Pathogens

Organization
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
Reference Code
USDA-ARS-P-2023-0182C
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
7/5/2024 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone
Description

*Applications may be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

ARS Office/Lab and LocationA research opportunity is currently available with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS) at the Integrated Research Facility (IRF) located in Fort Detrick, 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: A postdoctoral fellow opportunity is available for research associated with molecular and genomic surveillance of highly pathogenic viruses and other emerging and infectious agents in West Africa. Projects will be jointly performed with Dr. Irina Maljkovic Berry at the Integrated Research Facility (IRF), Ft Detrick, MD. The research will focus on development of pathogen surveillance projects in collaboration with the National Public Health Institute of Liberia through molecular and next generation sequencing techniques (NGS), as well as development of genomic surveillance and research capability in Liberia. Potential areas of research include pathogen discovery and characterization, virus evolution, genomic epidemiology. The appointment will require travel to Africa. 

Learning Objectives

  1. Ability to collect and extract samples for sequencing
  2. Ability to construct libraries and perform unbiased and amplicon sequencing
  3. Ability to process and interpret data sets generated through sequencing
  4. Ability to prepare data for scientific presentation (i.e. abstracts, posters, presentations and papers)

Mentor(s)The mentor for this opportunity is Lisa Hensley (lisa.hensley@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).

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

Appointment LengthThe appointment will initially be for two years, but may be renewed for up to three additional years upon recommendation of ARS and is contingent on the availability of funds. 

Level of ParticipationThe appointment is full-time.

Participant StipendThe participant 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. 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.Plains@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 prior to start of appointment. Degree must have been received within the past four years.

Preferred Skills:

  • Knowledge and experience in molecular and NGS techniques for pathogen discovery as well as associated bioinformatics analyses.
Eligibility Requirements
  • Degree: Doctoral Degree received within the last 48 months or currently pursuing.
  • Discipline(s):
    • Business (11 )
    • Chemistry and Materials Sciences (12 )
    • Communications and Graphics Design (6 )
    • Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (17 )
    • Earth and Geosciences (21 )
    • Engineering (27 )
    • Environmental and Marine Sciences (14 )
    • Life Health and Medical Sciences (48 )
    • Mathematics and Statistics (11 )
    • Other Non-Science & Engineering (13 )
    • Physics (16 )
    • Science & Engineering-related (2 )
    • Social and Behavioral Sciences (29 )
Affirmation

I affirm that:

I am a US Citizen, OR

I am a non-US citizen currently living in the United States

 

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