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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
• Contact information for two educational or professional recommendations

All documents must be in English or include an official English translation.

*Review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled.

ARS Office/Lab and Location: A postdoctoral research opportunity is available with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Commodity Protection and Quality Research Unit, located at Parlier, California.  

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.

The mission of the Commodity Protection and Quality Research Unit is to develop new and improved management strategies for insect and plant pathogen pests associated with fresh and stored horticultural commodities, to meet domestic and foreign export market requirements, and to develop means to maintain the postharvest quality of these commodities.

Research Project: The research is primarily aimed at developing the gene editing approach in major pests of high value crops including tree nuts and fresh fruits. The successful participant will join a broad disciplinary team currently applying functional genomics approaches to develop field deployable solutions including gene-drive systems to manage pests. The participant is also expected to employ toxicological, transcriptomic, gene silencing, and gene editing tools to elucidate the molecular factors underlying the resistance to pyrethroid insecticides.

Learning Objectives: Throughout the course of this research project, the participant will have the opportunity to gain experience in multidisciplinary research on developing innovative management strategies for insect pests associated with fresh and stored horticultural commodities.

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Raman Bansal (raman.bansal@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: February 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 up to four years 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.

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.PacificWest@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. Degree must have been received within the past five years.

Hands-on experience with gene editing research preferred.

• Degree: Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 month(s).
• Discipline(s):
  • Life Health and Medical Sciences (22 )