USDA ARS Postgraduate Research and Extension Opportunity in Coffee Leaf Rust Management
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- An application
- A current resume/CV, including academic history, employment history, relevant experiences, and publication list
- Two educational or professional recommendations
All documents must be in English or include an official English translation.
*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 Hilo, Hawaii.
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 postgraduate will participate in research and extension on coffee leaf rust, a devastating fungal pathogen of coffee that has recently arrived in Hawaii. The research will involve review of CLR management techniques from other coffee regions, continuous communication with researchers about new data that could be used by farmers, and evaluation of techniques farmers are currently using to create evidence based IPM documentation. The creation of extension materials including flyers, videos, website updates, workshops, as well as connecting with farmers themselves through associations, events, farm visits, email, text, smartphone apps, webinars, etc.
Learning Objectives: This opportunity will provide the postgraduate with knowledge of Hawaii's unique and economically important coffee industry, while providing exposure and experience to real time research results being translated and extended to growers currently struggling with this disease. This opportunity will provide the training necessary to prepare the postgraduate for an exciting career in agricultural extension.
Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Melissa Johnson (melissa.johnson@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: February 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 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.PacificWest@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a master's degree in the one of the relevant fields (e.g. Biological Sciences, Agriculture). Degree must have been received within the past five years or is to be received by the start of the appointment.
Preferred skills:
- Experience in applied agricultural research, outreach and extension.
- Experience working with producers of diverse age and ethnicities.
- Familiarity creating outreach materials, such as flyers, websites, videos, webinars and social media.
- Strong interpersonal skills.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills, functional Spanish a preference.
- Knowledge of coffee agriculture, invasion biology, and disease management.
- Experience in agricultural extension, field data collection and data analysis.
- Citizenship: U.S. Citizen Only
- Degree: Master's Degree received within the last 60 months or currently pursuing.
- Discipline(s):
- Veteran Status: Veterans Preference, degree received within the last 120 month(s).
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