*Applications may be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

ARS Office/Lab and Location: A postdoctoral research opportunity is available with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Global Change and Photosynthesis Research Unit (GCPRU) located in Urbana, Illinois. 

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. Within USDA-ARS, the mission of the Global Change and Photosynthesis Research Unit (GCPRU) is to identify factors affecting food and bioenergy crops, with emphasis on global environmental change, and utilize this information to solve emerging agronomic problems.  

Research Project: Within GCPRU, the goal of the Marty Williams Lab is to develop knowledge, models, and decision tools that ultimately reduce the risk that climate change and weeds pose to food production systems.  The lab utilizes an array of experimental approaches at various spatial and temporal scales, all aimed at building resilience in crop management systems.  The over-arching objectives of this project are to 1) improve the understanding of the influence of climate variability on crop and weed management outcomes, and 2) explore the integration of new chemical and non-chemical tactics for managing weeds in Midwest grain and/or specialty crops. Research activities include: 1) conducting original crop or weed research, 2) conducting field-, greenhouse- or laboratory-based assays, as needed, 3) organizing and analyzing data, 4) presenting research results, and 5) writing manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed journals.

Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of a mentor, the learning objectives are to 1) develop new knowledge of crop/weed ecology essential to the development of novel weed management tactics, and 2) contribute towards development of cropping systems which are sustainable, profitable, and resilient to climate change.

The candidate will participate in and present research at lab and GCPRU meetings.  The candidate also will have opportunities to participate in outreach through interactions with the University of Illinois and at professional conferences.

Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Martin Williams (martin.williams@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: May 15, 2023.  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.

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.

The qualified candidate should have received a doctoral degree in one of the related fields, or currently pursuing the degree with completion by May 15, 2023. Degree must have been received within the past five years.