USDA-ARS Research Fellow for Biological Control of Emerald Ash Borer
Application Deadline
11/20/2026 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone
Description
*Applications are reviewed on a rolling-basis and applications may close before the deadline.
ARS Office/Lab and Location: A research opportunity is currently available with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS).
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 USDA ARS Beneficial Insects Introduction Research Unit, located on the University of Delaware campus in Newark, Delaware, maintains a certified quarantine facility that enables pioneering research on the biological control of invasive agricultural and forest insect pests.
Research Project: Under guidance of the mentor, you will assist in determining the host associations of introduced biological control agents with the invasive emerald ash borer (EAB) and other related pests. Part of this research will be quantifying the impacts of these introduced agents on pest population densities in long-term EAB biological control study sites. Research activities will occur both in a laboratory quarantine facility and in agricultural fields or forests across the United States.
Learning Objectives: During the appointment, you will;
- Gain hands-on experience rearing and maintaining colonies of emerald ash borer (EAB) and its larval and egg parasitoids.
- Learn to conduct field and laboratory experiments to assess host associations between field-collected parasitoids, emerald ash borer, and related Agrilus beetle species.
- Develop skills in entering, curating, organizing, and managing experimental data generated from EAB and parasitoid studies.
Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Jian Duan (jian.duan@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: October 30, 2026. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.
Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for nine months, 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 ORISE.ARS.Northeast@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
Qualifications
The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a bachelor's or master's degree in the one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within the past five years, or anticipated to be received by 1/31/2027.
Preferred skills:
- Candidates with experiences in rearing insects and biological control research are preferred
Stipend
$39,000.00 – $45,000.00 Yearly
Point of Contact
Eligibility Requirements
- Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
- Degree: Bachelor's Degree or Master's Degree received within the last 60 months or anticipated to be received by 1/31/2027 11:59:00 PM.