*Applications are reviewed on a rolling-basis and this posting could 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), National Animal Disease Center (NADC), Virus Prion Research Unit (VPRU) located in Ames, Iowa.

Research Project: 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.

Throughout the course of this project, the selected participant will be conducting research to identify novel mechanisms in the pathogenesis of swine viruses. This research program involves multiple projects focusing on understanding the pathogenesis of economically important swine viruses to provide information that can be used to control and prevent the respective diseases. Activities will include interacting with swine in the collection of samples, and the use of a variety of techniques to evaluate the samples (e.g., virus isolation, immunohistochemistry, etc). The selected participant will collaborate with a team of virologists, bioinformaticians, and veterinarians to investigate the host-virus interactions.

Learning Objectives: Throughout the course of this research project, there will be opportunities for the participant to develop clinical skills with livestock models of infectious disease (particularly swine) and conduct immunological assays (e.g. ELISA, flow cytometry, in situ hybridization).

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Dr. Alexa Buckley (Alexandra.buckley@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: Spring 2021. 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(s) will receive a stipend of $65,000/year and a health insurance supplement up to $14,000/year.

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 USDA-ARS@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.