USDA-ARS Postdoctoral Fellowship to Study Maize Genetic Resources

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education; Ames (IA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 78,000; Full time

Job summary

Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) invites applications for a USDA ARS-affiliated research opportunity in Ames, Iowa. The fellow will work under a mentor on seed regeneration, genotypic/phenotypic characterization of maize germplasm, and collaboration with ISU breeders and PIRU members.

The appointment is full time, with a monthly stipend of $6,273.67, and involves genotyping coordination, data analyses, and dissemination of results across platforms.

Qualifications

• Doctoral degree received within the last 60 months or currently pursuing.
• Discipline areas include Life Health and Medical Sciences, Agricultural Sciences, and related fields.
• Experience with plant genetics, data curation, field/greenhouse work is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Engage in research to characterize genetic diversity in the USDA maize germplasm collection.
• Coordinate genotyping data receipt and initial quality assessment.
• Collaborate with Iowa State University maize breeders and geneticists, PIRU unit members and collaborators.
• Communicate findings and data to GRIN-Global or external platforms.

Skills

Plant sciences

Plant genetic resources

Row-crop agriculture

Plant genetics

Plant breeding

Molecular biology

Bioinformatics

Data management

Education

Doctoral degree in Agricultural or Life Sciences

Job description

Organization

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Reference Code

USDA-ARS-MWA-2026-0352

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

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Application Deadline

10/23/2026 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), Plant Introduction Research Unit (PIRU), 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.

Research Project

Under the guidance of a mentor, you will engage in research aimed at improving seed regeneration methodology, phenotypic, and genotypic characterization of the USDA maize germplasm collection. Systematic and thorough genotypic and phenotypic characterization would improve collection utility and aid in facilitating the research needs of seed requestors. During the fellowship, you will collaborate with Iowa State University maize breeders and geneticists, PIRU unit members and established USDA ARS/academic/industry collaborators while conducting research. The maize collection will be regenerated in the field and greenhouse in Ames, Iowa, and other off-site nurseries as needed and resources allow. Genotyping activities will be outsourced, and data receipt and initial quality assessment will be coordinated with the genotyping service institution. You will receive sequence/genotype data, help conduct analyses to survey variation, calculate relationships, and other relevant analyses of genebank accessions. You will interact with collaborators to upload genotypic and phenotypic data directly into the GRIN-Global database or to link all data via an external public platform for access.

Learning Objectives

• Conduct research efforts to measure, analyze, and use the genetic diversity in the USDA National Plant Germplasm System maize collection
• Discuss all genetic resource management activities
• Describe regeneration and phenotyping approaches in greenhouse and field experiments
• Describe approaches used for marker traits associations in crop plants, and;
• Demonstrate communication (writing, presenting, etc.), collaboration and in conducting scientific research.

Mentor(s)

The mentor for this opportunity is Adam Mahan ([e-mail]). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date

November 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.

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 [e-mail] 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. Degree must have been received within the past five years, or anticipated to be received by 12/30/2026.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with agricultural plant sciences, plant genetic resources, row-crop agriculture, plant genetics, plant breeding, molecular biology, bioinformatics, and data management.
• Ability to curate, catalog, and store large amounts of data, samples, such as seeds, plants or DNA.
• Experience caring for plants in the field, greenhouse, and growth chamber.
• Comfortable with communication through phone, email, and in person

Stipend

$6,273.67 Monthly

Point of Contact

Michele

Eligibility Requirements

• Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
• Degree: Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 months or currently pursuing.
• Discipline(s):
  • Life Health and Medical Sciences
  • Agricultural Sciences
  • Agriculture
  • Agronomy and Crop Science
  • Anatomy
  • Animal Behavior
  • Animal Health and Food Safety
  • Animal Sciences
  • Basic Biomedical Sciences
  • Biochemistry
  • Bioinformatics
  • Biology (General)
  • Biophysics
  • Botany
  • Cellular and Molecular Biology
  • Comparative Medicine and Laboratory Animal Medicine
  • Computational Biology
  • Developmental Biology
  • Ecology
  • Ecosystem Ecology
  • Emergency and Incident Management
  • Entomology
  • Environmental Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Food Sciences and Technology
  • Genetics, including Genome Sciences
  • Health Physics
  • Horticulture
  • Immunology
  • Industrial Hygiene
  • Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses
  • Kinesiology and Exercise Physiology
  • Medicine
  • Microbiology
  • Neurosciences
  • Nursing
  • Nutritional Sciences
  • Occupational Health
  • Pharmacology
  • Pharmacy
  • Physiology
  • Plant Sciences
  • Population and Community Ecology
  • Population Medicine
  • Public Health
  • Structural Biology
  • Toxicology
  • Veterinary Sciences
  • Virology
  • Wildlife Sciences
  • Zoology (General)
• Veteran Status: Veterans Preference, degree received within the last 120 months.