A research opportunity is available within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), with the Cereal Crops Research Unit at the Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center, Wheat and Barley Pathology Laboratory, located in Fargo, North Dakota.

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. This opportunity takes place in a large and multi-disciplinary ARS research facility in Beltsville, MD, and is with the Floral and Nursery Plants Research Unit of the US National Arboretum.

Research Project: The primary mission of the Cereal Crops Research Unit in Fargo, ND is to improve quality and disease resistance of small grains (barley, wheat, durum, oat) through research on genetics, genomics, pathology, and end-use quality. The Wheat and Barley Pathology Lab focuses on the genetic and functional characterization of virulence genes and proteins contributing to economically significant diseases of wheat and barley. This appointment is designed to provide an interested individual with in-depth experience conducting experiments in all aspects of the of wheat and barley diseases. Pyrenophora teres f. teres is one of the most destructive foliar diseases of barley throughout the world. It is our goal to identify how this destructive pathogen is manipulating its host to gain nutrient and cause disease. 

Learning Objectives: Specifically, the candidate will have opportunities to learn how we evaluate for pathogen virulence and barley resistance as well as being involved in genetic and molecular characterization of pathogen genes involved in host colonization. The candidate will also have the opportunity to learn and use the latest molecular tools including genetic mapping, candidate gene identification, gene cloning, gene transformation, site directed gene disruption, and CRISPR Cas9 based gene disruption and gene editing. Therefore, the candidate will acquire extensive training in plant pathology, molecular genetics, microbiology, and genomics. The candidate will participate closely with a world-renown plant pathology team at Fargo, ND, and will receive direct guidance and training. The candidate will also be able to take full advantage of the mentor's connections and involvement with the international community.

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

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: August 1, 2022.  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 initial stipend rate for this appointment is $38,000 plus $6752.16 towards the purchase of an individual or family health insurance policy.

Citizenship Requirements: This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR), and foreign nationals. Non-U.S. citizen applicants should refer to the Guidelines for Non-U.S. Citizens Details page of the program website for information about the valid immigration statuses that are acceptable for program participation.

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 USDA-ARS@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.