USDA-ARS Postdoctoral Fellowship in Analysis of Soybean and Common Bean Genome Sequences

Application Deadline

4/26/2024 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone

Description

*Applications are reviewed on a rolling-basis and will remain open until filled.

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 Beltsville, Maryland. The Beltsville Agricultural Research Center (BARC) is located on 6,615 acres in Beltsville, MD and is the largest location in the USDA ARS Northeast Area, comprising 17 research labs.

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 mission of the Soybean Genomics & Improvement Laboratory (SGIL) is to improve soybean and common bean to provide sustainable solutions for consumers in America and around the world, including 1) developing molecular markers and genetic maps to define genes controlling seed quality, disease resistance, abiotic stress tolerance, and productivity; 2) discovering and elucidating the function of genes and molecular mechanisms governing traits such as disease resistance and seed quality; 3) maintaining the National Rhizobium Germplasm Resource Collection to support symbiotic nitrogen fixation applications and research; and 4) providing diagnostic and research support to collaborating scientists.

Research Project: To cope with biotic and abiotic stresses leading to yield losses of more than 20% and the requirement to improve quality, breeders need to discover genes from new sources and develop methods to accelerate the breeding process. Molecular characterization of populations is critical to determine the novelty and location of genes in the genome and assist selection. This research project will help address these needs by providing genome-wide molecular markers and applying these markers to identify genes that control different traits. We resequenced hundreds of soybean and common bean accessions and obtained whole-genome sequence reads from public domains. Under the guidance of a mentor, the successful candidate will participate in the project to help identify genome-wide genetic variation, genome structural variation, and gene copy number variation among these accessions; help develop genome-wide molecular markers; identify genetic determinants associated with plant traits, and analyze accessions phylogenetic relationships and genetic diversity.

Learning Objectives: Participants will have the opportunity to learn sequence data analysis methods, such as identifying SNPs, indels, and other genetic variations in the genome through the SciNet platform or internal servers; learn methods to develop and test genome-wide markers; elucidate the relationship between genetic diversity and genetic resources, conduct genome-wide association studies and understand the genetic mechanisms controlling traits. Participants will also have the opportunity to improve their skills in writing computer scripts, developing algorithms and pipelines, and acquire knowledge in genetics, genomics, and biology through daily interactions with management unit staff and observation of laboratory research.

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Qijian Song (qijian.song@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: March 1, 2024. 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 ORISE.ARS.Northeast@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should have received a doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields, or be currently enrolled and anticipate to receive the degree by the start of the appointment. Degree must have been received within the past five years.

Preferred skills:

• Knowledge of bioinformatics
• Experience with computer programming and DNA sequence read analyses

Eligibility Requirements

• Degree: Doctoral Degree.