Postdoctoral Fellowship in Nutrition, Metabolic Health, and Chronic Disease Prevention US Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service in United States

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS) is offering a postdoctoral fellowship focused on nutrition and chronic disease prevention at the Responsive Agricultural Food Systems Research Unit (RAFSRU) in College Station, Texas. This opportunity is ideal for candidates interested in advancing research on maternal diet, obesity, metabolic health, and food-based interventions. The research environment is multidisciplinary, collaborative, and supportive, with mentorship from Dr. Kartik Shankar, a leading nutrition scientist and Research Leader at USDA ARS.

Fellows will engage in hypothesis-driven studies to examine the effects of specific diets and diet components on health outcomes using both preclinical and clinical approaches. Ongoing research includes developmental programming of obesity, metabolic health, and interventions such as anthocyanin-enriched staples to mitigate metabolic dysfunction and inflammation. The position offers training in cutting-edge molecular and omic methods, advanced statistical and bioinformatic analysis of transcriptomic data, and skills in manuscript preparation and grant writing.

Applicants should have a doctoral degree received within the last five years or be currently pursuing one in a relevant field. Preferred experience includes hands-on work with animal models of diet-induced obesity, metabolic syndrome, or cardiovascular disease, as well as expertise in human nutrition studies and precision nutrition approaches. U.S. citizenship or Lawful Permanent Resident status is required. The fellowship provides a competitive stipend ($68,000–$75,000/year), is full-time for one year (renewable), and requires proof of health insurance. The application deadline is July 3, 2026, and applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

To apply, candidates should submit their application through the Zintellect portal, including transcripts, CV, recommendations, and an abstract or article reprint. For further details, visit the official opportunity page or contact Dr. Kartik Shankar or the ORISE program via the provided emails. This is an excellent opportunity for postdoctoral researchers to contribute to impactful nutrition and health research at a leading U.S. federal research institution.