Application Deadline
7/3/2026 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 in Fargo, North Dakota.
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 fellow will participate at the Food Animal Metabolism Research Unit (FAMRU), Edward T. Schafer Agricultural Research Center, Fargo, ND. The mission of FAMRU is to investigate the fate of chemicals in food animals or food animal systems and to apply this knowledge to maintain a safer food supply. This research project aligns with the mission and goals of ARS National Program 108, Food Safety (100%).
The participant will have the opportunity to take part in investigating and assessing nitrofurazone metabolism in efforts to identify another marker compound other than semicarbizide for confirming nitrofurazone use in livestock. Under the guidance of a mentor, the participant will be identifying nitrofurazone metabolites and studying the protein, DNA, and RNA binding of these metabolites. The participant will have the opportunity to collaborate with the team members on the identification and characterization of nitrofurazone metabolites through nontargeted analysis, proteomic, and metabolomic analytical methods.
Learning Objectives: The participant will receive comprehensive, multidisciplinary training in analytical, biochemistry, and animal science with a focus on identification of drug metabolites in biological samples—an important area of research supported by industrial, governmental, and academic laboratories worldwide. The participant will have opportunities for scientific writing and publishing ARS research in peer-reviewed journals. This fellowship will help advance knowledge and expertise in addressing real-world challenges in the US agricultural field.
Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Sara Lupton (sara.lupton@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: June 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 is $79,000 annually. A monthly stipend for individual health insurance will also be included.
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 candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields (e.g. chemistry [inorganic/organic/medicinal/analytical], biochemistry, pharmacology or a closely related field).
Preferred skills:
- Small molecule isolation and purification skills including but not limited to extraction, chromatography, qualitative and quantitative mass spectrometry, and various other spectroscopies/methods
- Knowledge of drug metabolism, biochemistry, or protein binding
- Knowledge of nontargeted analysis, proteomics, and metabolomics
- Experience handling biological samples
Stipend
$79,000.00 Yearly
Point of Contact
Eligibility Requirements
- Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
- Degree: Doctoral Degree.
