USDA-ARS, Dairy Forage Research Center

Research Geneticist GS-0440-12/13

Updated description:

The incumbent is a Research Geneticist assigned to the Dairy Forage Research Unit (DFRU) of the U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center (USDFRC), Madison, WI. The workstation for this position is located in USDA-ARS laboratory research facilities in Madison, WI. The incumbent serves as research team member for the DFRU and participates in a dynamic, team-based, and collaborative research program designed to address dairy forage production and sustainability goals and objectives among USDA, industry, and academic partners. The incumbent provides leadership and collaborates in the efforts of other scientists at the USDFRC, other ARS units, and allied university research programs, as well as research personnel from other Federal, State, and local agencies, scientists from the forage seed industry, and forage and dairy producer groups. Major duties for this position include: 1) developing improved perennial forage grass cultivars, 2) identifying breeding methods to break undesirable correlations between forage quality and fitness traits and 3) identifying and evaluating selection criteria (e.g. reduced lignin, fiber digestibility, and physical characteristics during digestion) for improving nutritive and intake potential of perennial forages, and utility for novel end uses.