The USDA, ARS seeks Research Soil Scientist/Agronomist/Ecologist/Physical Scientist
Position Title 
Research Soil Scientist/ Research Agronomist/ Research Ecologist/ Research Physical Scientist
Position Summary
Supervisory Research Microbiologist/Entomologist/Plant Pathologist to serve as Research Leader of the Crop Bioprotection Research Unit (CBP) located in Peoria, Illinois at the National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Northeast Area, Hydrology and Remote Sensing Laboratory (HRSL), invites applications for a Research Soil Scientist/Research Agronomist/Research Ecologist/Research Physical Scientist
Incumbent has broad responsibility for conducting individual and team research to address the needs of USDA and ARS stakeholders, i.e., producers, resource managers, and policymakers, to maximize agricultural productivity while ensuring the effective management of natural resources, maintaining the quality of the air, water, and soil, and improving agroecosystem services. Potential areas of research include but are not limited to
1) Assess and improve agroecosystem sustainability and resilience, 2) Establish methods for interpreting data from new and existing sensors to answer production and ecosystem questions, leveraging integrative modeling, machine learning and/or artificial intelligence approaches, 3) Conducts research using a combination of high-resolution visual, thermal, lidar, and hyperspectral imagery collected by unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and other airborne platforms to quantify surface conditions and plant physiological processes effecting the water, carbon, and nutrient cycles in natural and agricultural ecosystems, and 4) Incorporate this information into production tools used by farmers, producers, USDA action agencies, and other stakeholders and government agencies involved in making agricultural and/or land use decisions. All research should be directed towards providing the fundamental breakthroughs and innovations required to advance assessment of agroecosystem services at local, regional, national, or global scales.
The applicant must be a U.S. citizen or national.
The position is full-time, permanent. A comprehensive benefits package is available.
Applications not including a resume with a thorough description of the work performed, a listing of publications/presentations/references, and complete transcripts that show the education and experience required as described above will not be considered.
Salary Range: $87,198 to $172,500 per year
Vacancy announcement (ARS-D22Y-11294285-TLH) and where to apply can be found at website www.usajobs.com. Closing date for applications is December 16, 2021.
The USDA is an Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer.