USDA-ARS Postdoctoral Fellowship in Turfgrass Agronomy and Genetics

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

All documents must be in English or include an official English translation.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

USDA-ARS-PWA-

2/27/2026 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 Maricopa, Arizona. 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.

The Water Management and Conservation Research Unit at the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in Maricopa, Arizona seeks applications for a Post‑Doctoral Fellow to investigate turfgrass agronomy, physiology, and genetics of different turfgrass species for improved drought, heat and salinity tolerance, and how turfgrass quality attributes contribute to ecosystem services. The fellow will participate as a member of the turfgrass breeding and agronomy team.

Under the guidance of a mentor, the fellow will help with planning and execution of growth chamber, greenhouse, and field experiments, conduct statistical analyses, interpret results, and publish research results in peer‑reviewed journals. The participant will be involved in the design of field trials, planting field trials, superimposition of stress factors, collection and analysis of visual and proximal‑sensing data. The participant will also help with screening diverse turfgrass germplasm for adaptation, color and quality traits, and environmental stress tolerance that will lead to the development of improved cultivars.

The participant will gain experience in field and controlled environment research, including experimental design, breadth of data collection and analysis. They will also learn how to use and maintain equipment for measuring gas exchange, image and spectral data collection and analysis, and the effect of different turfgrass management options on its visual quality, sustainability and ecosystem services. They will gain knowledge on the biological mechanisms contributing to water and nitrogen use efficiency.

The mentor for this opportunity is Desalegn Serba (des.serba). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).

2026. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

The appointment will initially be for one year, but may be renewed upon recommendation of ARS and is contingent on the availability of funds.

The appointment is full time.

The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience.

This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens only.

This program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education…