Agency

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Location

Beltsville, Maryland

Job Category

Internships

Salary

Monthly Stipend TBD

Last Date to Apply

08/29/2022

Website

https://www.zintellect.com/Opportunity/Details/USDA-ARS-2022-0259

Description

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis. ARS Office/Lab and Location: Two postdoctoral research opportunities are available with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), located in Beltsville, Maryland. 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 selected participants will primarily support the project Foodborne Parasites and their Impact on Food Safety. The primary objective is to assess level of contamination of foodborne parasites on produce (vegetables, fruits, water) and in animals. Examples of foodborne parasites are Cyclospora, Sarcocystis, and Trichinella. The research involves developing new and efficient detection techniques in molecular biology and microbiology. Learning Objectives: The participants will collaborate with a team of scientists focusing on parasite biology, molecular biology and genetics. One of the main objectives of the project is to survey beef from grocery stores for the presence of single-celled parasites of the genus Sarcocystis, and to classify the Sarcocystis species, especially those transmissible to humans by eating undercooked/uncooked infected beef. The participants will have the opportunity to learn histopathological techniques, processing of infectious agents, DNA extraction, PCR techniques and sequencing. A component of the project will use deep amplicon sequencing to completely characterize parasites in an array of samples. Mentor(s): If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact Jitender Dubey (Jitender.Dubey@usda.gov). Anticipated Appointment Start Date: As soon as a qualified candidate is identified. 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(s) will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. 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. However, this position requires a pre-employment check and a full background investigation. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Health insurance can be obtained through ORISE. This is an equal opportunity program open to all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, mental or physical disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, or covered veteran’s status. 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.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields (e.g. Veterinary Medicine, Microbiology, Biology). Preferred Skills: - Practical experience in molecular biology and microbiology - Experience with working with infectious organisms, especially Sarcocystis

Contact Person

USDA-ARS@orau.org

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