USDA-ARS Aquifer Recharge Group Fellowship

*Applications are reviewed on a rolling-basis.

ARS Office/Lab and Location: A research opportunity is currently available with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS), located in Davis, California.

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.

Research Project: Join the managed aquifer recharge group as a fellow, where you will learn from a dynamic interdisciplinary team composed of USDA-ARS and UC Davis experts! We are seeking a fellow to be a part of our research that involves assessing and monitoring aquifer recharge methods in California’s Central Valley. This fellowship offers a unique opportunity to be at the forefront of groundwater technology, gaining experience on projects ranging from groundwater sampling and geophysical imaging in the field, analysis of samples in the laboratory, and data processing and assimilation. You will be both in laboratory and field settings. Collaborate under the guidance of USDA-ARS researchers, including scientists and field support staff from the Sustainable Agricultural Water Systems ARS-USDA unit (https://www.ars.usda.gov/pacific-west-area/davis-ca/sustainable-agricultural-water-systems-research/).

Research (90%):

• Field research activities focusing on managed aquifer recharge site evaluation and monitoring.
• Deploy, operate, and maintain research-scale equipment in field experiments across various settings. Activities may include monitoring well sampling and water quality measurements in the laboratory, electrical and electromagnetic geophysical imaging and logging, and soil core drilling.
• Conduct laboratory analysis of soil and groundwater samples.
• Contribute to data synthesis and presentation for academic and extension audiences.

Professional Competence and Activity (10%):

• Participate in group meetings and training activities.
• Learn how to maintain laboratory protocols and training records.
• Engage in publishable research activities, including participating in discussions about research directions, interpreting results, and contributing to scientific publications.

Learning Objectives: 

• Gain expertise in field research related to managed aquifer recharge, including the use of data loggers and sensors, geophysical tools, and soil sampling equipment
• Learn laboratory procedures and protocols for soil and water analyses
• Develop data analyses and presentation skills

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Scott Bradford (scott.bradford@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: March 16, 2026. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

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

Level of Participation: The appointment is full time.

Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. The anticipated stipend range is $5,516.66 – $5,850.00 monthly.

Citizenship Requirements: This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens only.

ORISE Information: 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. Participants do not become employees of USDA, ARS, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Health insurance can be obtained through ORISE.

Questions: Please visit our Program Website. After reading, if you have additional questions about the application process, please email ORISE.ARS.PacificWest@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the one of the relevant fields (Environmental Science, Hydrogeology, Geoscience, Soil Science, Physics, or related fields). 

Preferred skills:

• Commitment to contributing to outreach activities and research dissemination.
• Experience in computer programming (R+, Matlab, Python).
• Experience with GIS software (ArcGIS, QGIS)
• Field data collection, processing and interpretation experience
• Formal Computer Science coursework.
• Ability to research effectively independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.