USDA-ARS Plant Biology and Genetics Research Opportunity
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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 are reviewed on a rolling-basis.
ARS Office/Lab and Location: This research opportunity is currently available with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), within the Crop Genetics Research Unit at the Jamie Whitten Delta States Research Center located in Stoneville, Mississippi.
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.
https://www.ars.usda.gov/southeast-area/stoneville-ms/crop-genetics-research/
Research Project: The goal of the program is to identify resistance to two emerging cotton diseases and transfer the resistant traits from a donor cotton line to improved cotton varieties. This will allow us to mitigate the effect of the disease and help U.S. farmers continue to grow cotton. During the course of research, the participant will be mentored by a scientist to carry out a variety of activities including reading background literature, designing and planning experiments, collecting and analyzing data and presenting data summaries and interpretations. The project requires a mix of field evaluation of cotton and laboratory methods to find DNA markers associated with the trait so it can be transferred more effectively, known as marker assisted selection.
Learning Objectives: The participant will have the opportunity to learn classical plant genetic methods as well as basic laboratory analyses including genotyping and trait mapping using standard software. There will also be an opportunity to collaborate with and learn from other scientists working on this program and interact with stakeholder farmers.
Mentor(s): The mentors(s) for this opportunity is Jodi Scheffler (jodi.scheffler@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: 2023. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.
Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for two years, 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.
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.Southeast@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a master's degree in one of the relevant fields of study.
- Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
- Degree: Master's Degree.
- Discipline(s):
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