Student Jobs

USDA-ARS

Mission Statement: Our mission is to develop and deliver state-of-the-art, science-based methods that improve the post-harvest processing, preservation, quality, marketing and consumption of safe and nutritious foods. This effort extends to the development of value-added food and feed. A top priority is ensuring the productivity and end-user quality of specific crops, notably cucumber, peanut, sweetpotato, pepper and cabbage. Towards that end, we conduct research on the latest in fermentation procedures, microbiome analyses, product chemistry and safety, as well as nutritional and performance analyses. Throughout, we strive to ensure our research and outreach efforts are responsive to the high-priority needs of a diverse cadre of stakeholders—from farmers, food and allied industries, to regulatory agencies and consumers.

Our Vision: To leverage robust, systems-based scientific research and technologies that enhance the production, processing, safety, nutrition, and availability of plant-based foods, reduce waste, promote human health and well-being in support of the United States agriculture.

Semester hours are typically 8-12 hours/week and are based on selected applicant's class schedule.

Summer hours are typically 20-30 hours. 

The Vinje Lab at the Cereal Crops Research Unit is looking for an undergraduate to assist with general laboratory maintenance and perform experiments on their own project under the guidance of the PI and lab tech.

This job is a great opportunity for an undergraduate interested in gaining laboratory experience. The Cereal Crops Research Unit is a federal laboratory and part of the US Dept. of Agriculture. It’s located on the west side of the UW campus (502 Walnut St.). The Vinje Lab studies starch degrading enzyme genes and their expression during grain development and malting to better understand fermentable sugar production during mashing. They also have projects characterizing novel starch metabolism enzymes and their ability to manipulate sugar production during mashing, a step in brewing where large macromolecules are broken down into their component parts.       

General duties will include laboratory maintenance such as dishwashing, planting, sampling, and greenhouse work. Additional responsibilities will include assisting with molecular biology experiments and working on your own research project as experience is gained. Former undergraduates in the Vinje Lab have gone on to graduate school (PhD and Masters) or found science jobs in academia, industry, and government (e.g. University of Chicago, ThermoFisher, Catalent, USDA).

Potential skills/techniques taught in the Vinje Lab:

Enzyme assays

Heterologous protein expression

Western Blot

Protein purification

Sanger sequencing

Cloning

Transgenic screening

DNA isolation

PCR

Gel electrophoresis

RNA isolation

cDNA synthesis

RT-qPCR

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

Science Major

Email resume to marcus.vinje@usda.gov