What are the responsibilities and job description for the USDA-APHIS Animal Health Fellowship position at Zintellect?
*Applications are reviewed on a rolling-basis.
APHIS Office/Lab and Location: A research opportunity is currently available with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), located in Fort Collins, Colorado.
The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is a multi-faceted Agency with a broad mission area that includes protecting and promoting U.S. agricultural health, regulating genetically engineered organisms, administering the Animal Welfare Act and carrying out wildlife damage management activities. These efforts support the overall mission of USDA, which is to protect and promote food, agriculture, natural resources and related issues. APHIS' mission also includes addressing issues such as wildlife damage and disease management; regulation of genetically engineered crops and animal welfare; and protection of public health and safety as well as natural resources that are vulnerable to invasive pests and pathogens.
Research Project: The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service seeks an ORISE participant to take part in exploring long-term resilience and sustainability practices for rural farming communities facing foreign animal disease threats (e.g., African Swine Fever, ASF) and extreme weather impacts (e.g., from cold snaps, flooding, tornados, hurricanes, and heat waves). To effectively prepare for foreign animal diseases such as ASF and be ready to respond, it is important to understand the risk of extreme weather events at a regional scale and how that risk may overlap with areas that are at high risk of disease introduction. A better understanding of how these risks overlap will make it possible to assess the vulnerability of rural communities and inform disease preparedness and response. This project will integrate data on land-atmosphere interactions and gain insights on practical resilience and sustainability practices for rural communities in high-risk areas.
Learning Objectives:
- Gain experience in interdisciplinary research methods, data collection, and analysis. If time permits, develop skills in social simulation modeling.
- Engage with community partners on the practical application of weather-ready practices related to disease preparedness and response for small to mid-level producers (<1000 animals).
- Under guidance from the mentor, the ORISE participant will be encouraged to develop a scientific project that leads to peer-reviewed publications.
Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Shana Gillette (shana.c.gillette@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: January/February 2025. 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 APHIS 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 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 APHIS. Participants do not become employees of USDA, APHIS, 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 USDA-APHIS@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
