USDA-ARS Postdoctoral Fellowship in Poultry Immunology

*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 Starkville, Mississippi.

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 Poultry Research Unit (PRU) located in Starkville, MS is focused on improving poultry health and productivity through disease, engineering, management, nutrition, and rearing environment research. Poultry health research is directed towards understanding and developing mitigation strategies for Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) and Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli infections (APEC). The program participant will focus primarily on understanding APEC infections in broiler and layer chickens but receive an introduction to MG. Research will consist of characterizing APEC pathogenesis and host immune response to infection under various conditions. The fellow will participate in all aspects of the research including animal rearing, tissue and blood collection, and sample processing and analysis. Lab techniques such as qPCR, ELISA, flow cytometry, and cell culture will be utilized. The participant will have the opportunity to write up results for publication in peer-reviewed journals. Collaboration with other scientists in the unit will be encouraged. 

Learning Objectives: 

• Learn about poultry production and poultry diseases
• Learn about poultry immunology and the interaction between pathogens and host immune function
• Increase knowledge of molecular biology and immunology lab techniques including RNA/DNA isolation, RT-qPCR, histology, flow cytometry, and more.

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

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: January 2025. 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, Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR), and foreign nationals. Non-U.S. citizen applicants should refer to the Guidelines for Non-U.S. Citizens Details page of the program website for information about the valid immigration statuses that are acceptable for program participation. Foreign national candidates may have a mandatory in-person requirement depending on visa status.

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

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing a doctoral degree in the one of the relevant fields, anticipated to be received in January 2025.

Eligibility Requirements

• Degree: Doctoral Degree.