USDA-ARS Wine Analytical Chemistry

*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 Richland, Washington.

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: Under the guidance of the mentor, the participant will learn to develop and refine analytical methods for measuring compounds associated with wildfire smoke and other smoke-related contaminants that can impact wine quality. The participant will contribute to the design and implementation of projects examining the effects of wildfire smoke on commercially important crops and their end products using analytical chemistry and microbiological approaches.

Through mentored activities, the participant will gain experience in developing, adapting, and validating analytical chemistry methods, interpreting results, and collaborate with students and scientists to understand the interconnections among wildfire smoke exposure, soil health, microbial ecology, fermentation practices, and fruit and wine quality. The mentor will also guide the participant in evaluating the economic impacts of quality losses and projecting potential commercial outcomes. In addition, the participant will learn to investigate experimental control points for the prevention and mitigation of quality defects, drawing on published literature and experimental findings.

Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of the mentor, the participant will learn how to:

• Develop and optimize analytical methods for detecting and quantifying compounds associated with wildfire smoke that impact wine quality.
• Design and collaborate on research projects examining the effects of wildfire smoke exposure on commercially important crops and their finished products.
• Apply and validate analytical chemistry techniques for accurate measurement of smoke-related compounds in plant and wine matrices.
• Integrate microbiological methods to evaluate how smoke exposure influences soil health, microbial ecology, and fermentation processes.
• Analyze and interpret experimental data to understand the interconnections among smoke exposure, vineyard conditions, fermentation practices, and final product quality.
• Assess the economic impacts of quality losses and model potential commercial outcomes for producers.
• Identify and evaluate experimental control points for preventing or mitigating smoke-related quality defects using published research and experimental findings.
• Collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams to address complex agricultural and enological challenges.

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

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: Summer 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 is $5,500 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.Midwest@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Salary : $5,500