USDA-ARS Postdoctoral Fellowship in Barley and Oat Pathology
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
- Contact information of 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 Aberdeen, Idaho.
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: You will join a barley and oat improvement project aimed at enhancing crop productivity, quality, and resistance to major diseases. The research activities will integrate traditional breeding with molecular and genomics-based approaches. Researching in laboratory, greenhouse, and field settings, you will help with experimental design, implementation, data collection, and data analysis. Under the guidance of a mentor, you will be given the opportunity to participate in studies focused on barley bacterial leaf streak, Fusarium head blight (FHB) and/or oat stem and crown rust disease research. Research activities may include conducting gene mapping and molecular marker development for disease-resistance traits; performing genome, gene, and transcript-level sequence analyses and gene expression studies; investigating disease-resistance mechanisms using molecular, physiological, and genetic tools; analyzing and summarizing research data for internal and external reporting; and assisting in the preparation of manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed journals.
Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of a mentor, you will:
- Learn how traditional breeding and molecular/genomics-based approaches are integrated to improve barley and oat productivity, quality, and disease resistance.
- Gain experience conducting research in laboratory, greenhouse, and field settings, including experimental design, implementation, data collection, and analysis.
- Develop knowledge of major cereal diseases, including barley bacterial leaf streak, Fusarium head blight, and oat stem and crown rust.
- Build skills in gene mapping and molecular-marker development for disease-resistance traits.
- Gain experience with genome-, gene-, and transcript-level sequence analysis, including gene-expression studies.
- Learn to investigate plant disease-resistance mechanisms using molecular, physiological, and genetic approaches.
- Develop skills in analyzing, summarizing, and communicating research findings through internal reports, external presentations, and peer-reviewed manuscripts.
Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Belayneh Yimer (belayneh.yimer@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: January 4, 2027. 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.
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 or be currently pursuing a doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields.
Preferred skills:
- Experience with plant disease research, preferably in cereals.
- Demonstrated skills in molecular marker development, gene mapping, and sequence analysis.
- Strong analytical skills and experience with relevant bioinformatics tools.
- Proven ability to write scientific manuscripts.
- Ability to research both independently and collaboratively.
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