Plant Genetic Resource Conservation Internship
*Applications will be 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), Plant Introduction Research Unit (PIRU) located in Ames, Iowa.
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 Plant Introduction Research Unit (PIRU) in Ames, Iowa is part of the National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) which aims to develop and conserve plant genetic resource collections and support their utilization. The PIRU curates more than 1,700 taxa of crop plants and crop wild relatives.
Research Project: PIRU is seeking a candidates for a fellowship to participate in the development of educational training/learning modules concerned with the development and maintenance of plant genetic resource collections or crop plants and their wild relatives, their documentation, utilization, and the role these resources play in assuring crop production. These efforts are supported by a NIFA Higher Education Challenge Grant. During the fellowship, selected participants will be involved in the capturing and editing video documentation of all phases of genebank operations, interviews with curatorial personnel and associated scientific experts, and under the guidance of a mentor, involved in the development of press-book style and other documentation of key considerations associated with the management of the collections and associated information.
Learning Objectives: A successful candidate will be learn how to evaluate and providing input for development of learning objects for training units regarding the development and maintenance of plant genetic resource collections and to schedule and execute project objectives. The resources developed by the participant under USDA-ARS mentorship will be publicly available. With this experience, the fellows will gain an in-depth understanding of the world of plant genetic resources management and practical experience in developing training materials for specific educational/technical objectives.
Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is David Peters (david.peters@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor(s).
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: Winter 2021. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.
Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for ten months, but may be renewed upon recommendation of ARS and is contingent on the availability of funds.
Level of Participation: The appointment is part-time (20 hours per week).
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 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.