USDA-ARS Postdoctoral Fellowship in Maize Pathology

Organization

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Reference Code

USDA-ARS-SEA-2026-0078

How To Apply

To submit your application, scroll to the bottom of this opportunity and click APPLY.

A Complete Application Consists Of

• An application
• Transcript(s) – For this opportunity, an unofficial transcript or copy of the student academic records printed by the applicant or by academic advisors from internal institution systems may be submitted. Click here for detailed information about acceptable transcripts.
• A current resume/CV, including academic history, employment history, relevant experiences, and publication list
• Two educational or professional recommendations
  
  

All documents must be in English or include an official English translation.

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Application Deadline

5/8/2026 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone

Description

• 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 Starkville, Mississippi.

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: Aspergillus flavus, a common pathogen of maize globally, is especially problematic in the southeastern region of the United States. It causes ear-rot and contaminates grain with aflatoxin, a highly carcinogenic mycotoxin. Susceptibility to A. flavus infection and aflatoxin accumulation is exacerbated in the presence of biotic and abiotic stresses that commonly occur in corn production environments. Since inheritance of resistance to Aspergillus ear rot is controlled by many QTL across the genome, innovative research will be required to develop and deploy commercially valuable hybrids possessing stable resistance. The fellow will be involved in a research project to

• Screen and characterize maize germplasm from different sources to identify germplasm with resistance to Aspergillus flavus kernel infection and subsequent aflatoxin accumulation;
• Incorporate resistance to A. flavus into agronomically acceptable maize inbred lines with improved combining ability for yield, and alignment with industry heterotic patterns; and
• Discover maize inbred lines that are resilient to extreme weather events and more productive under sustainable management systems.
  
  

Learning Objectives: The participant will gain skills in laboratory methodologies, experimental design, maize breeding, and data analysis. Through the course of the project, the participant will gain knowledge of current issues and latest research at the intersection of maize pathology and breeding with a focus on Aspergillus ear rot disease through exposure to the lab's researchers, as well as academic and industry collaborators.

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Ebrahiem Babiker (ebrahiem.babiker@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: April 6, 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 $6,223.16 - $7,459.00 monthly.

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.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a doctoral degree in the one of the relevant fields (plant pathology, plant breeding, or related discipline).

Preferred Skills

• Experience in conducting lab, greenhouse, and field research in the areas of plant pathology and plant breeding and genetics.
• Experience in the screening of germplasm for resistance to biotic stresses and development of disease resistant germplasm
• Experience using statistical software such as SAS or R.
• Experience in preparation of manuscripts for publication in peer-reviewed journals.
• Team player, with the ability to collaborate effectively in a multi-cultural, multi-disciplinary environment
  
  

Stipend

$6,223.16 – $7,459.00 Monthly

Point of Contact

Sara Beth

Eligibility Requirements">14 )

• Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
• Degree: Doctoral Degree.
• Discipline(s):
• Life Health and Medical Sciences ( Show more