The PPGRU's mission is to increase the productivity, profitability and sustainability of agriculture in arid environments by developing new germplasm for both traditional and alternative crops and by improving plant responses to abiotic stresses and to changes in the global environment. Emphasis is placed on oilseeds crops used for food, and biofuels, and establish new industrial and bioenergy crops for semi-arid regions. **ANNOUNCEMENT IS OPEN UNTIL FILLED OR FEBRUARY 5, 2025**

Duties

Provide technical and professional guidance to develop and implement novel molecular biology and genomic solutions to improve industrial oil crops.. Conduct research, in collaboration with other ARS scientists and with academic and private industry scientists, as needed. Develop improved plant populations including double haploid (DH) populations and carry out activities including nursery design, planting, crossing, phenotypic characterization and sample collection for DNA marker activities. Establish a double haploid (DH) protocols, including culture media preparation, plating anthers, transfer callus and plantlets in various growth chambers and greenhouses. Lead establishment of processes and practices related to industrial crops molecular breeding methodologies including developing DNA markers for marker-assisted selection (MAS) and genomic selection (GS). Support the applications of genomic and transcriptomic tools in breeding programs. Implement, interpret, report and present results from laboratory, greenhouse, and field studies.

Requirements

• Males born after 12/31/1959 must be Selective Service registered or exempt
• Subject to satisfactory adjudication of background investigation and/or fingerprint check
• Direct Deposit – Per Public Law 104-134 all Federal employees are required to have federal payments made by direct deposit to their financial institution
• Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit E-Verify at https://www.e-verify.gov/
• Appropriations Law and Immigration Law requirements must be met

Qualifications

This position requires a Ph.D in the plant sciences, plant genetics, plant breeding or related fields or a related field of study that has equipped the applicant with the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities to perform the duties and responsibilities of the position. Applicants must meet basic Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standard's requirements of the scientific discipline necessary to perform the duties and responsibilities of the position. 0401 Series - General Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences Degree: biological sciences, agriculture, natural resource management, chemistry, or related disciplines appropriate to the position. Or Combination of education and experience: Courses equivalent to a major, as shown in above, plus appropriate experience or additional education. 0440 Series - Genetics Degree: genetics; or one of the basic biological sciences that included at least 9 semester hours in genetics. Graduate Education: Genetics, or a curriculum or pattern of training that placed major emphasis on genetics. Graduate study in related fields such as agronomy, horticulture, animal, dairy, or poultry husbandry, entomology, microbiology, plant pathology, chemistry, molecular and cellular biology, and physiology that involved cross-training in genetics is qualifying, provided it placed sufficient emphasis on genetics. Evaluation of Education: Most students in the field take graduate work because specific training in genetics may be limited at the undergraduate level. Under these circumstances, it may be necessary to evaluate undergraduate course work in genetics in one of two ways, as described below, to determine whether or not it is qualifying. Courses dealing with genetics, some phase of genetics, or specific techniques that are applied in genetics work are acceptable. This includes courses in genetics, plant or animal genetics, molecular and cellular biology, mathematics and statistics (as they apply to genetics), population dynamics, and certain techniques such as those dealing with irradiation. Course work consisting of an appropriate combination of basic courses in genetics and cytology or statistics are also acceptable. In Addition to the Qualification Requirements outlined above, the incumbent will require the education and experience outlined below. A PhD in the molecular plant sciences, plant genetics, plant breeding or related fields. Working knowledge of current methods used in plant biology, including techniques used in plant genetics and genomics and tissue cultures techniques such as anther and microspore cultures are required. Ability to develop new molecular markers. Knowledge of QTL/candidate gene discovery for genes controlling abiotic stresses using transcriptome analysis and QTL/gene mapping are desired.

Education

This position has a positive education requirement. You must submit a copy of your academic transcripts OR a list of college courses with credit hours, dates completed, and grades received to verify education when applying for this position. If this information is not provided, your education may not be appropriately evaluated and you may lose consideration for this position. If you are selected for this position, you will have to provide an official copy of your transcripts prior to entering on duty. Application materials will not be returned.

Contacts

• Address Agricultural Research Service 800 Buchanan Street Albany, CA 94710 US
• Name: Mary Mikkola
• Phone: 301-504-1573
• Email: [email protected]