{"id":15655,"date":"2026-04-29T16:11:23","date_gmt":"2026-04-29T16:11:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/career-development\/job\/usda-ars-science-and-research-communication-fellow\/"},"modified":"2026-04-29T16:11:23","modified_gmt":"2026-04-29T16:11:23","slug":"usda-ars-science-and-research-communication-fellow","status":"publish","type":"ch_job","link":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/career-development\/job\/usda-ars-science-and-research-communication-fellow\/","title":{"rendered":"USDA-ARS Science and Research Communication Fellow"},"content":{"rendered":"

Application Deadline<\/strong><\/p>\n

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9\/25\/2026 9:48:07 AM Eastern Time Zone<\/p>\n

Description<\/strong><\/p>\n

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*Applications\u00a0are reviewed on a rolling-basis.<\/strong><\/p>\n

ARS\u00a0Office\/Lab and Location:\u00a0<\/strong>A\u00a0fellowship opportunity is currently available with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS), located in Washington, D.C.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

The Office of the Chief Scientist (OCS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides strategic coordination of the science that informs the Department’s and the Federal government’s decisions, policies and regulations that impact all aspects of U.S. food and agriculture and related landscapes and communities.\u00a0 OCS also identifies, prioritizes, evaluates, and coordinates Department-wide agricultural research, education, and extension needs.<\/p>\n

OCS ensures that that research supported by, and scientific advice provided to the Department and external stakeholders is held to the highest standards of intellectual rigor and scientific integrity.\u00a0 OCS is also defending the Foundations of Agriculture and Food called for in the USDA Farm Security Strategy by enhancing research, economic, and science security.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Research Project:\u00a0<\/strong>Through structured mentorship, the fellow will explore how the USDA Farm Security Strategy is translated into actionable guidance within the Research, Education, and Economics (REE) Mission Area. Training activities will include, but are not limited to, learning how to develop communication strategies and draft policy documents to ensure that scientific policy effectively informs internal agencies and extramural stakeholders. The fellow will gain insight into how federal agencies balance safeguarding public investments in agriculture with advancing open, collaborative scientific research and effectively communicating those strategies to stakeholders.<\/p>\n

Learning Objectives:\u00a0<\/strong>Fellowship activities will\u00a0focus on learning strategic communication approaches, understanding the structure and purpose of policy playbooks, and examining how scientific policy is crafted to inform both internal agency audiences and external stakeholders.\u00a0Under the guidance of a mentor, the fellow will:<\/p>\n

Gain hands-on experience assisting in the development of a Research, Education, and Economic (REE) Mission Area playbooks for new USDA policies.<\/p>\n

Learn about the development and implementation of strategic messaging and communication of OCS and ORESS efforts to implement the USDA Farm Security Strategy.<\/p>\n

Learn to conduct strategic analyses to identify how USDA can create and\u00a0implement\u00a0scientific initiatives or evidence-based policies across a diverse and complex research portfolio including plant science, soil health, bioinformatics, protecting agricultural against invasive species, natural resources, remote sensing, advanced manufacturing, and the nexus of agriculture and space.<\/p>\n

Learn how to create and implement\u00a0strategic plans to promote scientific initiatives or evidence-based policies to specific audiences.<\/p>\n

Enhance knowledge and skills\u00a0preparing reports and presenting findings in a clear and impactful manner for executive leadership.<\/p>\n

Pursue knowledge in coordinating and communicating USDA\u2019s science policies\u00a0both within USDA and the interagency, gaining insight into science-policy integration and interagency collaboration.<\/p>\n

Gain deep understanding of USDA\u2019s research enterprise while assisting in the implementation of consistent research, economic, and science security efforts across USDA.<\/p>\n

Learn how to effectively communicate through both verbal and oral communication across a diverse audience at USDA, including scientists, policy analysts,\u00a0 administrators, attorneys, and security and counterintelligence professionals.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Learn about the diverse authorities and measures related to research, economic, and science security and how to strategically communicate its need, how it will implemented, and its impact to external and internal stakeholders.<\/p>\n

Mentor(s):\u00a0<\/strong>The mentor for\u00a0this opportunity is Patrick Lee (patrick.lee@usda.gov<\/u><\/a>). If you have questions about the nature of the research,\u00a0please contact the mentor(s).<\/p>\n

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: June 1, 2026.\u00a0<\/strong>Start date is flexible and will\u00a0depend on a variety of\u00a0factors.<\/p>\n

Appointment Length:\u00a0<\/strong>The appointment will initially be for one year, but may be\u00a0renewed upon\u00a0recommendation of ARS\u00a0and is contingent on the availability of funds.<\/p>\n

Level of Participation:\u00a0<\/strong>The appointment is full-time.<\/p>\n

Participant Stipend:\u00a0<\/strong>The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. The anticipated stipend range is $70,623 – $102,415 annually.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Citizenship Requirements:\u00a0<\/strong>This opportunity is available to U.S. Citizens only.<\/p>\n

ORISE Information:\u00a0<\/strong>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 (ORISE), was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and ARS.\u00a0Participants do not become employees of USDA, ARS, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits.\u00a0Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Health insurance can be obtained through ORISE.<\/p>\n

Questions:<\/strong>\u00a0Please visit our\u00a0Program Website<\/u><\/a>. After reading, if you have additional questions about the application process,\u00a0please email USDA-ARS@orau.org<\/u><\/a> and\u00a0include the reference code for this opportunity.<\/p>\n

Qualifications<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The qualified candidate should have received a master’s or doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within the past five years.<\/p>\n

Stipend<\/strong><\/p>\n

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$70,623.00 \u2013 $102,415.00 Yearly<\/p>\n

Point of Contact<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Janeen<\/u><\/a><\/p>\n

Eligibility Requirements<\/strong><\/p>\n

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