USDA-ARS Opportunity– Fungal Population Dynamics & Mycotoxin Ecology in Corn

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education

Peoria (IL)

On-site

USD 54,000 - 72,000

Full time

2 hours ago

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Job summary

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) offers a research opportunity with USDA-ARS in Peoria, IL. The fellowship focuses on fungal ecology, mycotoxin risk in corn, and interdisciplinary collaboration across plant pathology, microbiology, and data science.

The appointment lasts one year, is full-time, and provides a monthly stipend of $4,800–$6,430. U.S. citizenship is required; health insurance is available via ORISE.

Qualifications

Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctoral degree in Plant Pathology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Ecology, Computational Biology, or a related field.
Experience with fungal biology, microbiome sequencing, or mycotoxin analysis preferred.
Quantitative or computational skills are desirable.
Strong written and oral communication abilities.

Responsibilities

Characterize fungal population structure across corn growth stages.
Apply sequencing approaches (ITS/TEF, qPCR, metagenomics) to track fungal communities.
Quantify mycotoxins and link ecology to toxin outcomes.

Skills

Fungal biology

Microbiome sequencing

Mycotoxin analysis

Education

Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctoral degree in Plant Pathology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Ecology, Computational Biology, or related field

Job description

Organization

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Reference Code

USDA-ARS-MWA-2026-0392

Application Deadline

12/4/2026 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 at the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (NCAUR) in Peoria, Illinois.

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 Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology Unit conducts integrated research to understand and mitigate mycotoxin contamination in U.S. corn production systems.

Research Project

The research focuses on understanding the population dynamics of fungal communities throughout the growing season and how these dynamics influence mycotoxin contamination in corn.

Project Tasks

Characterizing fungal population structure and succession across key phenological stages of corn.
Applying molecular and microbiome sequencing approaches (e.g., ITS/TEF amplicon sequencing, qPCR, metagenomics) to track fungal communities.
Conducting mycotoxin quantification to link fungal ecology with toxin outcomes.
Conducting field and greenhouse experiments to identify and evaluate the effects of factors that influence mycotoxin risk.
Integrating computational and statistical tools to model fungal population shifts and identify environmental or biological drivers of mycotoxin risk.
Collaborating with plant pathologists, microbiologists, chemists, and data scientists to develop predictive insights that support improved food and feed safety.

Learning Objectives

Under the guidance of a mentor, you will have the opportunity to learn to: (a) utilize field and laboratory methods in plant pathology and fungal ecology; (b) conduct microbiome analysis, bioinformatics, and computational modeling; (b) conduct rapid mycotoxin analysis; (c) prepare scientific communication, and manuscripts; and (d) design field and laboratory experiments that integrate agronomic, microbiome, and ecological datasets

Mentor(s)

The mentor for this opportunity is Joseph Opoku (joseph.opoku@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date

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 $4,800 - $6,430 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.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should have received or be currently pursuing a bachelor's, master's, or doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields (Plant Pathology, Microbiology, Molecular Biology, Ecology, Computational Biology, or a related field).

Preferred Skills