What are the responsibilities and job description for the USDA-ARS Research Fellowship in Plant-Microbe Interactions position at Zintellect?
*Applications are reviewed on a rolling-basis.
ARS Office/Lab and Location: A research opportunity is available with the National Laboratory for Agriculture and The Environment (NLAE) within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS) located in Ames, Iowa.
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.
The NLAE is a transdisciplinary lab whose mission is to generate information addressing critical problems in agriculture and watershed management to develop innovative solutions which increase the efficiency of agriculture systems and reduce environmental risk.
Research Project: A postdoctoral fellowship is available for enthusiastic and self-directed applicants. The research fellow will help identify and evaluate plant traits that impact nitrogen cycling in the rhizosphere and detritosphere of maize. The aim of this research is to:
- Identify and develop novel sources of biological nitrification inhibition (BNI) capacity in maize and
- Evaluate the contribution of plant chemistry and root and rhizosphere traits, including BNI, to agroecosystem nitrogen use efficiency, nitrogen retention and reductions in nitrous oxide flux.
The research will be part of a collaborative project with an interdisciplinary team of government, university, and industry scientists within the Circular Economy that Reimagines Corn Agriculture (CERCA) project. The vision of CERCA is increase the productivity and sustainability of US grain farmland through earlier planting and increased uptake, recycling and retention of nitrogen and phosphorous. Translational research teams are pursuing three main objectives:
- Modeling plants, farms, environments, and economics to identify trait combinations and US environments likely to benefit from the new cropping system;
- Trait discovery through testing wild species and diverse maize germplasm with promising cold tolerance and nutrient recycling and retention capabilities; and
- Trait development through stacking genetic improvements.
Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of a mentor, the participant will:
- Learn advanced concepts in plant–soil interactions, with emphasis on nitrogen cycling in the rhizosphere and detritosphere of maize.
- Learn to identify, characterize, and evaluate plant traits that influence nitrogen use efficiency, nitrogen retention, and nitrous oxide fluxes.
- Gain and improve skills in molecular microbial ecology
- Learn to develop and pursue individual and team research questions from design to manuscript preparation
- Learn to collaborate within an interdisciplinary team of government, university, and industry scientists focused on circular bioeconomy solutions.
Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Bryan Emmett (bryan.emmett@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: August 1, 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 $45,777 - $75,284 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.CERCA@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
Salary : $45,777 - $75,284