*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 Adams, Oregon.

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 mission of the USDA-ARS Columbia Plateau Conservation and Research Center in Adams Oregon is to improve practices, techniques, and equipment for dryland crop production, and soil and water conservation in the inland Pacific Northwest and related land resource areas.  The soil microbiology program contributes to this mission with critical research evaluating how the environment and crop management practices impact soil biological diversity and function. The participant will engage in hand-on research to characterize the soil biological response using microbiological and molecular techniques.

Learning Objectives: Expertise will be gained in soil enzyme assays, DNA extraction, quantitative qPCR, DNA sequencing, bioinformatics, and developing liquid handling robot-assisted protocols.

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Catherine Reardon (catherine.reardon@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: January or February 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 range is $44,959 - $57,173 annually.

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.PacificWest@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a bachelor's degree in the one of the relevant fields. 

Stipend$44,959.00 – $57,173.00 YearlyPoint of ContactJaneenEligibility Requirements

• Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
• Degree: Bachelor's Degree.