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
• 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 Isabela, Puerto Rico.

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: The project will involve participating in the nursery activities of several crops at the USDA-ARS Station in Isabela, Puerto Rico, including soybean, sorghum, millet, maize, fruit crops, and common bean. The participant will have the opportunity to collaborate with scientists and technicians in each crop area and learn basic agronomic, data collection, and plant breeding methodologies in trials and nurseries planted at the USDA-ARS.

Learning Objectives: The project assignments will provide the participant with opportunities to receive hands-on experience that complements their educational and professional background in areas related to the agency mission in agronomy, planting, data collection, crop maintenance, harvesting, field preparation, and maintenance of equipment, materials and supplies.

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Timothy Porch (timothy.porch@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: January 2026. 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 anticipated stipend is $34,254 annually.

Citizenship Requirements: This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR) 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 have received or be currently pursuing an associate's or bachelor's degree in the one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within the last five years or is anticipated to be received by 12/31/2025.

Depending on the research project objectives, the selected candidate may need to show proof of a valid U.S. State Driver’s License and provide proof of an active U.S. auto insurance policy.

Preferred skills:

• Knowledge or experience in agronomy, plant science, plant breeding, plant pathology
• Preference is placed on:
  • Applicants with an associate degree
  • Applicants who are currently pursuing a bachelor's degree

• Citizenship: LPR or U.S. Citizen
• Degree: Associate's Degree or Bachelor's Degree received within the last 60 months or anticipated to be received by 12/31/2025 12:00:00 AM.
• Discipline(s):
  • Chemistry and Materials Sciences (12 )
  • Communications and Graphics Design (2 )
  • Computer, Information, and Data Sciences (17 )
  • Earth and Geosciences (21 )
  • Engineering (29 )
  • Environmental and Marine Sciences (14 )
  • Life Health and Medical Sciences (51 )
  • Mathematics and Statistics (11 )
  • Physics (16 )
  • Science & Engineering-related (2 )
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (29 )
• Veteran Status: Veterans Preference, degree received within the last 120 month(s).