USDA-ARS Postdoctoral Fellow, Mineral Sorption Impact on Nutrient and Contaminant Cycling, USDA Agricultural Research Service

Position Overview

Application Deadline: July 3, 2026 (rolling review)

Salary: $55,000 to $60,000 annually

Education Required: Currently pursuing or holding a master’s degree in agricultural/soil science, environmental chemistry, or a related field

Experience Required: Laboratory and analytical instrumentation experience preferred

Description

The USDA Agricultural Research Service offers a full-time ORISE postdoctoral research opportunity at the Sustainable Agricultural Systems Lab in Beltsville, Maryland, paying $55,000 to $60,000 annually with applications reviewed on a rolling basis through July 3, 2026.

The Agricultural Research Service is the USDA’s chief scientific in-house research agency, charged with finding solutions to agricultural problems that affect Americans every day from field to table. The Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, founded in 1910, is the USDA’s largest research installation and operates under ARS to enhance food security, sustainable agriculture, and nutrition.

The Sustainable Agricultural Systems Lab determines principles and practices integral to sustainable agricultural systems through multidisciplinary laboratory- and field-based research. The fellow will investigate how soil minerals control nutrient and contaminant cycling in agricultural systems using specialized instrumentation, contributing fundamental geochemical knowledge that informs contaminant fate, nutrient mobility into human food systems, and reduced fertilizer costs for U.S. farmers.

Responsibilities

• Investigate mineral sorption mechanisms governing common contaminants and nutrients in agricultural soils.
• Design and execute laboratory experiments using soil and plant samples.
• Operate and analyze data from total organic carbon and nitrogen analyzers, surface area analyzers, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.
• Interpret experimental results and develop scientific manuscripts under mentorship.
• Attend scientific meetings to network with scientists, producers, and industry partners.
• Present scientific advances generated through the fellowship.

Requirements

• Currently pursuing or have received a master’s degree in agricultural/soil science, environmental chemistry, or a related field.
• U.S. citizenship required.
• Proof of health insurance is required for participation; insurance can be obtained through ORISE.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in an analytical laboratory, running scientific instrumentation, and designing experiments.
• Experience with statistical analysis of experimental data and interpreting results to develop a results and discussion section.
• Experience collecting soil and plant samples from greenhouse or field experiments.

Additional Notes

• Anticipated start date: July 15, 2026; flexible.
• Initial appointment of one year, renewable upon ARS recommendation and subject to funding availability.
• Full-time appointment; monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience.
• Administered by ORAU through the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education; participants are not employees of USDA, ARS, DOE, or the program administrator.
• Reference Code: USDA-ARS-NEA-2026-0207.
• Mentor: Matthew Fischel (matthew.fischel@usda.gov) for research-related questions.

How to Apply

Apply through the Zintellect opportunity portal by July 3, 2026. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Required application materials:

• Application form.
• Transcript(s); unofficial transcripts or academic-record copies accepted.
• Current resume or 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. For application questions, email ORISE.ARS.Northeast@orau.org and include the reference code.