Newly discovered · posting date unknown · Found via Official
USDA-ARS Postdoctoral Fellowship: fungal population dynamics and mycotoxin ecology in corn (USDA-ARS-MWA-2026-0269)
The USDA Agricultural Research Service is offering a postdoctoral fellowship in its Mycotoxin Prevention and Applied Microbiology Unit in Peoria, Illinois. The fellow will track how fungal communities change through the corn growing season and link those shifts to mycotoxin contamination, to support better food and feed safety.
- Country
- United States
- Experience
- Experience not specified
- Salary / stipend
- Stipend USD 6,000 to 6,430 per month
- Apply by
- 04 Jun 2027
- Job type
- Fellowship
- Function
- Research
- Openings
- 1
Contact for this vacancy
This notice lists 2 emails and 0 phone numbers to apply or ask about the role.
Sign up free to see contact detailsWho can apply
Doctoral degree (received or in progress) in plant pathology, microbiology, molecular biology, ecology, computational biology or a related field
Review the original notice to confirm the requirements. Related degrees are not automatically equivalent; the recruiting organisation decides eligibility.
What you’ll do
- Characterise fungal population structure and succession across key growth stages of corn
- Track fungal communities with amplicon sequencing (ITS/TEF), qPCR and metagenomics
- Quantify mycotoxins to link fungal ecology with toxin outcomes
- Run field and greenhouse experiments on factors that influence mycotoxin risk
- Use computational and statistical tools to model fungal population shifts and their drivers
- Work with plant pathologists, microbiologists, chemists and data scientists on predictive insights for food and feed safety
- Prepare manuscripts and scientific presentations
What the employer asks for
- Doctoral degree received or in progress in plant pathology, microbiology, molecular biology, ecology, computational biology or a related field
- U.S. citizenship
- Highly desirable: experience with fungal biology, microbiome sequencing or mycotoxin analysis
- Quantitative or computational skills
- Written and oral communication skills
Selection process
- Online application through Zintellect
- Rolling review by ARS mentor
- Offer through ORISE
Documents to keep ready
- Online application form
- Transcript(s)
- Current resume/CV
- Recommendations as requested in the application
Pay, benefits and perks
- Monthly stipend
- Participants are ORISE fellows, not USDA employees; no employment-related benefits
- Proof of health insurance required (available through ORISE)
- Appointment initially one year, renewable subject to funding
About the employer
The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief in-house scientific research agency; the Peoria unit studies how to prevent mycotoxin contamination in U.S. corn.
How to apply
Apply by email to orise.ars.midwest@orau.org or joseph.opoku@usda.gov.
Application deadline 4 Jun 2027, 3:00 PM Eastern; applications reviewed on a rolling basis, so it may fill earlier
Skills for this role
What employers ask for in Research (JRF / SRF / PhD / Postdoc) roles. named in this notice
- Mycotoxin analysis
- ITS/TEF amplicon sequencing
- qPCR
- Metagenomics and bioinformatics
- Fungal ecology and plant pathology
- Statistical and computational modelling
- Postdoctoral
- Junior Research Fellow
- JRF
- Senior Research Fellow
- SRF
- PhD
- Research Associate
- Food Technology research
- GATE XL
- ICAR NET
Pay on similar vacancies
From 3 Research & Academia vacancies on FSD in the same role family that publish pay. Monthly, before deductions.
Prepare for the interview
Questions commonly asked for Research (JRF / SRF / PhD / Postdoc) roles. Practise answers with an example and a number.
- Summarise your dissertation or main research project in two minutes for a non-specialist panel.
- Why this group or lab, and how does your experience fit the project described in the call?
- How did you design your experiments and choose the statistical analysis?
- Which analytical techniques have you used hands-on, and what were their limitations?
- What would be the first three months of work on this project if you were selected?
- Tell us about a result that did not work and what you did next.
Before you apply
- Read the original notice end to endDates, eligibility and the application route are decided by the employer, not by FSD.
- Tailor your resume to this vacancyMatch the keywords in the requirements. Resume Studio shows what is missing.
- Prepare a short research statementOne page on your project experience and why this group or call fits.
- Line up refereesMost calls ask for two or three referees; tell them in advance.
- Check the funding termsFellowship amount, duration, HRA and eligibility (NET / GATE) differ between calls.
Source & editorial check
U.S. citizens only. Mentor: Joseph Opoku (joseph.opoku@usda.gov). Application questions: ORISE.ARS.Midwest@orau.org (quote the reference code). Start date flexible.
Original posting: Date not stated
Checked 2026-11-06 · Updated 2026-11-06
Sign up free to open the original notice and the apply link.
