Research Agronomist / Research Ecologist / Research Plant Physiologist (POST DOC)
Summary
The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the United States Department of Agriculture's chief scientific research agency and one of the world's premiere scientific organizations. ARS Postdoctoral Research Associates are hired to supplement a lead scientist's research on agricultural problems of high national priority affecting American agriculture.
This position is located on Integrated Cropping Systems Research Unit.
**ANNOUNCEMENT IS OPEN UNTIL FILLED OR 09/05/2023**
Duties
Synthesize multimodal plant, environmental, and soils data from an existing study on annual-perennial cropping systems into peer-reviewed manuscripts.Using experimental or public data, identify genotype-management combinations that confer resilience to small grain productivity and quality.Characterize mechanisms by which forage legumes benefit agronomic systems via improved soil biology and fertility, pest management, or productivity of rotational crops.Collaborate with academic, industry, and farmer stakeholders to design studies that characterize high-priority opportunities for diversifying western Corn Belt cropping systems.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exemptSubject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint checkDirect Deposit ? Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institutionSuccessfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/Appropriations Law and Immigration Law requirements must be met
Qualifications
The research assignment requires a Ph.D. in agronomy, plant science, plant ecology, soil science, or a related field. The research assignment requires experience in experimental design and statistical analysis and a proven ability to write scientific manuscripts and communicate scientific findings to stakeholders and the scientific community.
Applicants must meet basic Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standard's requirements of the scientific discipline necessary to perform the duties and responsibilities of the position.
Ecology Series (0408)
Basic Requirements
Degree: biology, or a related field of science underlying ecological research that included at least 30 semester hours in basic and applied biological sciences. These hours must have included at least 9 semester hours in ecology, and 12 semester hours in physical and mathematical sciences.
OR
Plant Physiology Series (0435)
Basic Requirements
Degree: botany or plant physiology; or a related scientific discipline that included at least 10 semester hours in plant physiology.
Evaluation of Education: The 10-semester-hour requirement in plant physiology is specific. Course work is qualifying if it dealt with plant physiology, some phase of plant physiology, or methods and techniques applied in plant physiology work. Other course work in borderline areas should be evaluated on the basis of content.
OR
Agronomy Series (0471)
Basic Requirements
- Degree: agronomy; or related discipline of science that included at least 30 semester hours of course work in the basic plant sciences, including at least 15 semester hours in agronomic subjects, such as those dealing with plant breeding, crop production, and soil and crop management.
or
- Combination of education and experience: at least 30 semester hours in the basic plant sciences, including a minimum of 15 semester hours in agronomic subjects, as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience or additional education.
Graduate Education: Agronomy, or one of the related disciplines or fields of science, such as plant physiology, soils, or genetics, where the curriculum or pattern of training placed major emphasis on field crops or agronomy. Graduate study in related fields, such as botany, plant pathology, and biochemistry may also be qualifying, provided it placed a sufficient amount of emphasis on agronomy.
Evaluation of Education: Course work in such subjects as botany, plant taxonomy, plant physiology, plant breeding or genetics, plant ecology, plant pathology, microbiology, agronomy, or those dealing with basic soil-water-plant relationships of an agronomic or ecologic nature may be used to meet the 30-semester-hour requirement in the basic plant sciences. Agronomy courses include agronomy, field crops, field crop production or management, soil and crop management, plant breeding and development, weed control, and similar courses, including those in soils, biochemistry, plant physiology, etc., provided they dealt with principles, methods, or procedures that are applied directly in agronomic work and in the solving of agronomic problems.
Education
This position has a positive education requirement. You must submit a copy of all your academic transcripts OR a list of college courses with credit hours, dates completed, and grades received to verify education when applying for this position. If this information is not provided, your education may not be appropriately evaluated, and you may lose consideration for this position. If you are selected for this position, you will have to provide an official copy of your transcripts prior to entering on duty. Application materials will not be returned.
A Ph.D. is required that was obtained within the last four years.
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