**Candidates are now being sought to fill the lead scientist position at the Small Grains Genotyping Laboratory that was vacated when Dr. Shiaoman Chao retired in December**

Position Available - Small Grains Genotyping Laboratory

(GS-12/13, salary range $73,375 to $113,428): The Cereal Crops Research Unit at the Red River Valley Agricultural Research Center in Fargo, ND is seeking a permanent, full-time Research Plant Molecular Geneticist. The goal is to develop and utilize high-throughput molecular marker technology to facilitate trait introgression and genomic selection in bread wheat, durum wheat, barley, and oat. The incumbent will lead the Fargo small grains genotyping laboratory, a facility intended to function as a bridge between basic genetic research and plant breeding programs, and will be responsible for a research program focused on identification of markers associated with important agronomic traits based on genome-wide marker analysis, validation of the effectiveness of markers in breeding programs, implementation of markers in screening breeding lines, and implementation of high-throughput genotyping techniques. The incumbent will also coordinate activities with other ARS scientists within the research unit and in other ARS genotyping laboratories, as well as with geneticists, breeders, and cereal chemists at North Dakota State University and elsewhere as part of cooperative efforts to improve performance of cereals and to develop basic information on the genetics of quality, disease resistance, and other traits.   Opportunity exists to mentor graduate students through an adjunct appointment with North Dakota State University (NDSU).  The unit has excellent research facilities on the NDSU campus, and is comprised of about fifty personnel (nine scientists) working to improve quality and disease resistance of small grains through research on genetics, genomics, pathology, and end-use quality.  U.S. Citizenship is required.  The announcement will be open from July 30 – August 10, 2018.

To view additional details about this position and complete application instructions, go to the USAJobs Web site: https://www.usajobs.gov/ and refer to announcement number ARS-D18W-0130.  Please note that the announcement number will not be accessible until July 30, 2018.  For specific questions regarding this vacancy, contact Justin D. Faris, Acting Research Leader, at 701-239-1339 or justin.faris@ars.usda.gov. USDA is an equal opportunity employer.