USDA-ARS Crop Improvement Internship
*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 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 USDA, ARS, Genetic Improvement of Fruits and Vegetables Laboratory is seeking a research intern for training opportunities at its research site in Beltsville, MD. The research program is engaged in development of Solanaceous vegetables with improved disease resistance, tolerance to abiotic stresses, quality, and nutritional value. The intern will:
- Participate in crop improvement research lead by unit scientists that integrates conventional and molecular technologies for development of new genetic stocks, breeding lines and cultivars;
- Contribute to research focused on understanding the genetic basis of fundamental processes underlying host-pathogen interactions and apply that knowledge to crop improvement; and
- Participate in development and optimization of novel disease management strategies.
Learning Objectives: The research intern will learn practices important in applied and basic research. Depending on interests and the focus of the varied research projects, these will include methodology utilized for crop management and sample/data collection for high-throughput genotyping and phenotyping, molecular biology protocols for nucleic acid purification and amplification, and support for data analysis in -omics and artificial intelligence related projects.
Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is John Stommel (john.stommel@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: December 16, 2024. 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 maybe part time or 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 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.Northeast@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
Qualifications
The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have earned a bachelor's degree in the one of the relevant fields.
Point of Contact
Eligibility Requirements
- Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree received within the last 60 months or currently pursuing.