USDA-ARS Postdoctoral Fellowship in Poultry Meat Quality

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 Athens, Georgia.

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.

About the Role

You will join and learn from a community of scientists and researchers in the Quality & Safety Assessment Research Unit (QSARU) at the U.S. National Poultry Research Center, Athens, GA. The mission of QSARU is to provide scientific knowledge, technologies, and strategies to address critical product quality and safety issues in various agricultural commodities.

Your educational research activities will involve the mission and goals of ARS National Program 306, Product Quality and New Uses. You will participate in research to understand biological factors that control meat quality attributes in poultry. Through genetic selection and advancements in nutrition and management practices, the poultry industry has achieved substantial improvements in broiler production efficiencies. Unfortunately, along with the improvements in bird growth and yield, there has also been an increase in breast meat quality defects associated with myopathies.

Under the guidance of a mentor, you will investigate the underlying biological mechanisms and develop strategies to reduce the incidence and severity of chicken breast myopathies. You will receive training in animal & poultry science, molecular biology, genomics, biochemistry, food science, poultry nutrition, and poultry processing. You will participate in all phases of the research including experimental design, planning, conducting trials, data analysis, and reporting results.

Learning Objectives

• Gain knowledge of biological factors influencing poultry meat quality and the development of breast muscle myopathies in broiler chickens.
• Learn strategies for reducing the incidence and severity of poultry breast myopathies through research-based approaches.
• Learn experimental design principles and apply them to poultry and meat quality research studies.
• Acquire hands-on experience conducting poultry research trials, including sample collection, processing, and data management.
• Develop technical skills in molecular biology, genomics, biochemistry, food science, poultry nutrition, and poultry processing techniques.
• Understand how to apply laboratory and analytical methods to investigate the underlying mechanisms associated with poultry breast meat quality defects.
• Strengthen data analysis and interpretation skills using scientific research methodologies.
• Build scientific communication skills through preparation of reports, presentations, and discussion of research findings.
• Develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills related to product quality and food safety challenges in agricultural commodities.
• Gain exposure to career pathways and professional practices in agricultural, food, and poultry science research.

Mentor

The mentor for this opportunity is Byungwhi Kong (byungwhi.kong@usda.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor(s).

Appointment Details

Anticipated appointment start date: 2026. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors. The appointment will initially be for one year, but may be renewed upon recommendation of ARS and is contingent on the availability of funds. The appointment is full time.

Requirements

• The qualified candidate should be currently pursuing or have received a doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields (e.g. animal science, muscle and meat science, molecular biology, nutrition, genomics, biochemistry, chemistry, food science/technology, or a closely related field). Degree must have been received within the past five years or anticipated to be received by 12/31/2026.
• This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens only.

Preferred Skills

• Knowledge of molecular biology and associated techniques
• Knowledge of poultry science
• Knowledge of muscle biology/meat science and/or animal physiology, growth, and nutrition
• Experience handling biological samples

Pay

The participant will receive a yearly stipend of $79,000.