USDA-ARS Summer Internship in Animal Care and Infectious Disease

Application Deadline

4/26/2024 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 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.

Research Project: The appointment involves projects related to the study of infectious diseases (including bovine brucellosis, tuberculosis and Covid19) in various livestock and wildlife species. The research will focus primarily on animal husbandry and handling using manual and chemical restrain techniques, collection of animal samples, and the use of immunological laboratory assays to understand host immune responses to and pathogenicity of the various infectious agents.   

Learning Objectives: 

Under the guidance of a mentor, the participant will learn the:

• Preparation of samples and conduction of immunologic assays;
• Handling and sampling of live animals;
• Some exposure to molecular biologic techniques; and
• Generalized knowledge of laboratory procedures, safety policies, and maintenance.

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Steven Olsen (Steven.olsen@ars.usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: May 15, 2024. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for 5 months, 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 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.Midwest@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a bachelor's degree in the one of the relevant fields (e.g. animal science, microbiology, immunology, virology, biology, genetics). Degree must have been received within the past five years or be currently pursuing.

Preferred skills:

• Preferred candidates will have experience with course laboratory research and practices, and some animal experience with handling and sample collection.
• Selected candidates will need to be able to pass a security check in accordance with USDA policies.

Eligibility Requirements

• Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
• Degree: Bachelor's Degree received within the last 60 months or currently pursuing.