USDA-ARS Fellowship on Validating Methods to Analyze the Chemical and Physical Properties of Biochar
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- An application
- 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 may be reviewed on a rolling-basis.
ARS Office/Lab and Location: A postgraduate research opportunity is available within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), with the Forage Seed and Cereal Research Unit (FSCRU) located in Corvallis, Oregon
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.
USDA-ARS-FSCRU offices and laboratories are located on Oregon State University campus and the mission of our unit is to develop fundamental and applied knowledge used to enhance crop productivity, environmental stewardship, and economic sustainability for the efficient production of turf, forage, and cover crop seeds. The unit also conducts research on the influence of soil amendments on crop productivity and soil health. This research is more broadly applied across geographical regions and cropping systems.
Research Project: The primary research project seeks to validate the current methodology that is widely used to characterize the chemical and physical properties of biochar. The research will involve receiving samples from biochar producers, preparing the material for testing, and conducting a broad spectrum of tests to analyze biochar properties. These data will also be collected by other ARS laboratories from a broad geographical range. The research associate will then develop a statistical framework to determine if the results of the analysis are reliable and reproducible or if further method development is needed to inform the implementation of conservation practices. The research associate will have further opportunities to develop skills to create and implement statistical models, learn analytical procedures, and disseminate information by participating in or designing other studies, publishing peer-reviewed papers, collaborating with other scientists at the USDA-ARS, Washington State University, Oregon State University, American Farmland Trust, US Biochar Initiative and other institutions nationally and internationally, and attending and presenting research at professional meetings.
Learning Objectives: By the end of this program, the expected learning outcomes are to gain experience in: implementing and designing statistical models, developing or troubleshooting analytical methods, designing and carrying out experiments and data analysis, and sharing scientific results through presentations and publications.
Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Kristin Trippe (kristin.trippe@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: January 2024. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.
Appointment Length: The 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 Participation: The appointment is full-time.
Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. The current stipend range for this opportunity is $55,477 - $61,275 per year plus a monthly health insurance stipend.
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.PacificWest@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
The qualified candidate should have received a master's degree in one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within the past five years.
Preferred Skills include:
- Experience statistical analysis of complex datasets
- Profieciency in R, Linux, Python, Unix
- Knowledge of soil science and analysis techniques
- Experience with stakeholder outreach; writing technical documents
- Ability to assist with soil sampling and field operations
- Experience or familiarity with biochar
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