USDA-ARS Bachelor's Research Summer Internship
*Applications may be reviewed on a rolling-basis.
ARS Office/Lab and Location: A summer undergraduate research internship opportunity is currently available with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), San Joaquin Valley Agricultural Sciences Center located in Parlier, California.
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 candidate will collaborate closely with a team focused on optimizing postharvest fumigations from the perspective of targeted toxicological efficacy. Research activities include conducting insecticidal evaluations to quantify mortalities that result from treatments. As part of the research, the candidate will aid in insect rearing and fruit harvesting.
Learning Objectives: Upon completion of the project, the selected candidate will have gained a deeper understanding of contemporary insect control, a key concern of US horticultural producers.
Mentor(s): The mentor(s) for this opportunity is Spencer Walse (spencer.walse@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).
Anticipated Appointment Start Date: July 5, 2022. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors, but this position is intended to be a summer internship.
Appointment Length: The appointment will be for three months in the summer, 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 USDA-ARS@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
Qualifications
The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing a bachelor's degree in one of the relevant fields (e.g. Chemistry, Biology).
Preferred skills:
- Previous experience conducting entomological, environmental, biological, or chemistry research
- Basic understanding of Microsoft excel, for data entry
- Ability to independently review literature, as well as organize, document, and interpret data for the assigned project