USDA-ARS Fellowship in Disease Ecology

*Applications are reviewed on a rolling-basis, and this opportunity may close before the submission deadline.

Lab and Location: A research opportunity is currently available within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS). Opportunity is located in Manhattan, Kansas, with the possibility of remote or hybrid participation.

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: The ARS Arthropod-Borne Animal Diseases Research Unit and Foreign Arthropod-Borne Animal Disease Research Unit, and the APHIS Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health Transboundary Disease Analytics, have an opportunity for a qualified individual to serve as a research fellow exploring livestock disease spread. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research in livestock disease ecology, modeling, and climate science, with a focus on arthropod-borne diseases (e.g., bluetongue, Cache Valley fever, Japanese encephalitis, and African swine fever).

Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of the mentor, the fellow will assist in data acquisition, processing, and analysis as well as developing models to describe and simulate disease spread risk for stakeholder groups. Compounding extreme weather events (i.e., heat waves, cold snaps, large rain events, drought) and their climatology will be regionally characterized to further contribute to disease models. Host data layers will be generated from multiple sources. Additionally, under the guidance of a mentor, the fellow will be encouraged to develop a scientific project that helps address disease spread research gaps and leads to peer-reviewed publication.

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Amy Hudson (amy.hudson@usda.gov).  Please contact the mentor for questions about this opportunity.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: 2024. 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.

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.Plains@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Qualifications

The qualified applicant must be pursuing or have received a doctoral degree. Degree must have been received within the past five years, or be currently pursuing.

Preferred Skills:

• Proficiency in using a programming language (R and/or Python)
• Proficiency in preprocessing and analyzing spatial and temporal data
• Knowledge of software development workflows and use of GitHub software
• Knowledge or interest in animal movement analysis or population ecology
• Knowledge or interest in epidemiological analysis or disease modeling
• Ability to effectively collaborate and work with others
• Strong oral and written communication skills

Eligibility Requirements

• Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
• Degree: Doctoral Degree received within the last 60 months or currently pursuing.