USDA-ARS Postdoctoral Fellowship in Fish​/Shellfish Functional Genomics

How To Apply

To submit your application, scroll to the bottom of this opportunity and click APPLY.

• An application
• Transcript(s) – an unofficial transcript or copy of the student academic records (printed by the applicant or by academic advisors from internal institution systems) may be submitted.  for detailed information about acceptable transcripts.
• A current resume/CV, including academic history, employment history, relevant experiences, and publication list
• Two educational or professional recommendations

Organization

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Reference Code

USDA-ARS-SEA-

How To Apply

To submit your application, scroll to the bottom of this opportunity and click APPLY.

A Complete Application Consists Of

• An application
• Transcript(s) – an unofficial transcript or copy of the student academic records printed by the applicant or by academic advisors from internal institution systems may be submitted.  for detailed information about acceptable transcripts.
• A current resume/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.

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Final date to receive applications

2/13/2026 8:43:55 AM Eastern Time Zone

• Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

ARS Office/Lab and Location: A postdoctoral research opportunity is available with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Aquatic Animal Health Research Unit (AAHRU) in Auburn, Alabama.

The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency. Its mission is to find solutions to agricultural problems that affect Americans every day from field to table. ARS delivers tools and solutions to support farmers, producers, industry, and communities; sustains agroecosystems and natural resources; and ensures economic competitiveness in agriculture. Its vision is to provide global leadership in agricultural discoveries through scientific excellence.

Research Project:
The candidate will use laboratory and computational approaches to study fish/shellfish-pathogen interaction dynamics and genomics jects include rapid detection and diagnostics tests, novel therapeutants, and improved diet formulations to enhance resistance to infectious agents in warm-water fish and shellfish. Researchers apply molecular, cellular, and computational approaches to understand pathogen and host factors that influence virulence and disease resistance. Projects may focus on characterizing genetic variation associated with disease phenotype, validating candidate loci involved in quantitative and qualitative traits, or determining function of genes/proteins as regulators of physiological or immunological traits.

Learning Objectives:
Under mentor guidance, the candidate will gain experience with a functional genomics approach to host–pathogen interactions across several aquaculture species. The applicant will learn to integrate laboratory techniques with bioinformatics approaches (gene expression profiling, single-cell transcriptomics, epigenomics, quantitative genomics, microbiome, and/or interactome analyses) to improve understanding of relationships between genes, protein function, and disease phenotypes in warm-water aquaculture species. Fellows will learn to use genome-scale datasets from host–pathogen studies with high-performance computing resources to answer scientific questions.

Mentor(s):
The mentor for this opportunity is Jason Abernathy (jason.abernathy). For questions about the research, please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date:
March 2026. Start date is flexible and dependent on various factors.

Appointment Length:
The appointment will initially be for one year and may be renewed upon recommendation of ARS, contingent on funds availability.

Level of Participation:
The appointment is…