ARS Office/Lab and Location: A research opportunity is currently available with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research located in Peoria, Illinois.

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 National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (NCAUR) is among the largest agricultural research centers in the United States. The center has an interdisciplinary team of scientists dedicated to research on improving agricultural production, food safety and public health, economic development, and environmental quality. 

Research Project: This research project focuses on the discovery and development of novel tools and strategies for controlling honeybee pests and pathogens. This unique opportunity mixes advanced laboratory experiments with outdoor field research to discover and develop plant-based compounds for controlling Varroa mites and their vectored pathogens. Key activities include monitoring of experimental honeybee colonies, sampling Varroa mites from live honeybee colonies, conducting bioassays to identify plant extracts/compounds that kill Varroa mites and/or their vectored pathogens without harming the bees, large-scale field experiments to test candidate treatments under real weather conditions, evaluations of how candidate treatments affect honeybee immunity, colony functions, and behavior.

Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of a mentor, the participant will have the opportunity to learn to: 

• Design and conduct field and laboratory experiments.
• Sample and identify honey bee pests and pathogens.
• Isolate and purify plant compounds.
• Detail molecular characterization of honey bee health.
• Analyze complex biological datasets.

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

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: August 2026. 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. The anticipated stipend is $74,678 annually.

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.