What are the responsibilities and job description for the USDA-ARS Postdoctoral Pest Insect Fellowship position at Zintellect?
*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 Gainesville, Florida.
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 postdoctoral researcher will be part of laboratory and field studies focused on insect pests such as the fall armyworm and cornsilk flies, affecting field crops, particularly corn that are conducted within the Insect Behavior and Biocontrol Research Unit. The researcher will have the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research in biological control of insect pests, genetic strain typing of insect populations and behavioral differentiation of insect populations and will foster skills leading to a career as an independent investigator.
Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of the mentor(s), the research participant will gain experience in the design, implementation, and data analysis of projects relating to timing and characterizations of populations of insect parasitoids and pests, and will have the opportunity to collaborate with a multidisciplinary teams of investigators and support staff to execute studies, analyze data and prepare manuscripts for scientific journals.
Mentor(s): The mentors for this opportunity are Sandra Allan (sandy.allan@usda.gov) and Rob Meagher (rob.meagher@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentors.
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: January 13, 2025. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.
Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for eight months to one year, but may be renewed upon recommendation of ARS and is contingent on the availability of funds.
Level of Participation: The appointment is part 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.
