USDA-ARS Wine Analytical Chemistry

How To Apply

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

• An application
• Transcript(s) – For this opportunity, 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
• A copy of an abstract or reprint of an article

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

USDA-ARS-PWA-

7/31/2026 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone

Applications are reviewed on a rolling-basis.

A research opportunity is currently available with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), located in Richland, Washington.

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.

Under the guidance of the mentor, the participant will learn to develop and refine analytical methods for measuring compounds associated with wildfire smoke and other smoke‑related contaminants that can impact wine quality. The participant will contribute to the design and implementation of projects examining the effects of wildfire smoke on commercially important crops and their end products using analytical chemistry and microbiological approaches.

Through mentored activities, the participant will gain experience in developing, adapting, and validating analytical chemistry methods, interpreting results, and collaborating with students and scientists to understand the interconnections among wildfire smoke exposure, soil health, microbial ecology, fermentation practices, and fruit and wine quality. The mentor will also guide the participant in evaluating the economic impacts of quality losses and projecting potential commercial outcomes.

In addition, the participant will learn to investigate experimental control points for the prevention and mitigation of quality defects, drawing on published literature and experimental findings.

• Develop and optimize analytical methods for detecting and quantifying compounds associated with wildfire smoke that impact wine quality.
• Design and collaborate on research projects examining the effects of wildfire smoke exposure on commercially important crops and their finished products.
• Apply and validate analytical chemistry techniques for accurate measurement of smoke‑related compounds in plant and wine matrices.
• Integrate microbiological methods to evaluate how smoke exposure influences soil health, microbial ecology, and fermentation processes.
• Analyze and interpret experimental data to understand the interconnections among smoke exposure, vineyard conditions, fermentation practices, and final product quality.
• Assess the economic impacts of quality losses and model potential commercial outcomes for producers.
• Identify and evaluate experimental control points for preventing or mitigating smoke‑related quality defects using published research and experimental findings.
• Collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams to address complex agricultural and enological challenges.

The mentor for this opportunity is Torey Arvik (Torey.

Arvik). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).

Summer 2026. Start date is flexible and will depend on a…