THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
AGRICULTURE IS AN EQUAL
OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES: The position is located in the Food Safety Laboratory, Beltsville, MD. 
The incumbent is a member of the Food Safety Laboratory, Animal Natural Resources Institute. and must be able work with enteric foodborne pathogens in specifically leafy green pre-harvest settings.  Specifically, the incumbent will be responsible for 1) determining the survival and growth of green fluorescent protein (gfp)-labeled wild type and rpoS­-deficient E. coli O157:H7 populations in internalized tissues in spinach and lettuce plants; 2) determine differences in survival of wild-type strains and nalidixic acid resistant E. coli O157:H7; 3) determine the niches of growth and survival of internalized bacterial cells in plants;  4) identify potential reservoirs (soil associated with roots, roots) for E. coli O157:H7 to contaminate produce.  The methodology to accomplish these objectives will be standard plant growth techniques involving some tissue culture in environmentally controlled chambers, environmentally microbiological methods, and confocal microscopy.

QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: Recent Ph.D. in microbiology, biology, plant pathology or physiology, food science or a closely related field is required.  Knowledge of microbial cultures techniques, microscopy, statistical design, and basic molecular biology skills are desirable.

INFORMATION ON SALARY AND APPLICATION PROCEDURES FOR POSTDOCTORAL POSITIONS is available at: http://www.afm.ars.usda.gov/divisions/hrd/hrdhomepage/vacancy/pd962.html

INFORMATION ON EMPLOYEE BENEFITS is available at: http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/ei61.asp

FOR SPECIFIC INFORMATION ON THE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THIS POSITION OR TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION, CONTACT:

Dr.  Manan Sharma                 
USDA/ARS/ANRI/FSL
Bldg 201, Room 100B
BARC-EAST
10300 Baltimore Ave
Beltsville, MD 20705
Phone: 301-504-9198
Fax: 301-504-8438
Email: manan.sharma@ars.usda.gov