Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Research Participation Program

The Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Research Participation Program is an educational and training program designed to provide college students, recent graduates, and university faculty opportunities to participate in project-specific ARS research and developmental activities.

Because of the educational nature of these programs, participants must fall into one of the following categories:

1. Students must be enrolled in an accredited U.S. college or university pursuing a degree in a science, technology, engineering or math (STEM), and must maintain satisfactory progress in academic coursework.
2. Postgraduates must have received their degree (associate’s, bachelor’s, and/or master’s) in an appropriate STEM discipline within five years of the appointment start date, or must complete all requirements for such a degree prior to the desired start date.
3. Postdoctoral must have received their doctoral degree in an appropriate STEM discipline within five years of the appointment start date, or must complete all requirements for such a degree prior to the desired start date.

Established scientists (candidates whose degree was received more than five years prior to the appointment start date), interested in new research training activities will be considered on a case-by-case basis by the ARS mentor and ORISE management staff and additional eligibility requirements may apply.

Applications will be considered without regard to race, color, age, sex, religion, national origin, mental or physical disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, or covered veteran’s status.

The program is typically open to qualified U.S. citizens, foreign citizens who are eligible to participate as J-1 Exchange Visitors, and foreign citizens eligible for other visa categories approved by ARS and ORISE. However, a few ARS offices may only appoint U.S. citizens due to the sensitive nature of the research performed and/or restricted facility access. Any such restrictions will be clearly stated in the project description of the opportunity posting.