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31 Jul 2023
Soil and Crops Research Manager in Brookings, SD
Part TimeJob Description
Job Description
South Dakota State University Agronomy, Horticulture, and Plant Science Department is looking for a creative and innovative professional to join us as a Soil and Crops Research Manager. In this position you will be responsible for determining crop nutrient management methods that can maintain and increase crop production while conserving and reducing inputs in a way that minimizes environmental impact and is profitable for farmers.
Job Responsibilities:
This position will be responsible for coordinating and completing field research, basic laboratory tasks, and report writing for several on-farm crop trials across South Dakota dealing with different fertilizer sources, rates, application times, and placement methods.
This position will operate small and large farm equipment to prepare fields, apply fertilizer, plant crops, apply pesticides, and harvest crops. This position will also coordinate in taking plant and soil samples throughout the growing season, organizing samples, drying them, and preparing them to send to commercial laboratories. The individual needs to be able to work outdoors for long durations in different weather conditions. Strong organizational skills and the ability to pay attention to details is also needed.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
- Ability to operate small and large farm equipment to prepare fields, take soil samples, apply fertilizer, plant crops, apply pesticides, and harvest crops.
- Ability to properly use fertilizer and agri-chemical application equipment to ensure proper research project treatment placement on fields.
- Ability to coordinate the work of selecting and establishing research locations within farmer cooperator fields suitable to fulfill research project objectives.
- Ability to monitor research plots and communicate with farmer cooperators to determine and ensure proper timing of field activities critical to success of the research project.
- Ability to communicate effectively with diverse audiences that include Farmer Cooperators, Extension Field Specialists, Researchers, Farm Managers, and Graduate students involved with achieving project objectives.
- Knowledge of proper biomass and soil sample processing that includes transportation, cataloging, drying, storage, and grinding in preparation for analysis or the ability to learn these procedures within the first year.
- Ability to coordinate, complete, direct, and assist graduate students with plant and soil sample collection.
- Ability to organize data, create figures in Microsoft Excel, and summarize findings of research projects through written reports.
- Proficient in Microsoft Word and Excel
- Willingness to travel to research sites with occasional overnight stays.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills
- Demonstrated organizational and time management skills.
- Strong interpersonal relationship skills
- Ability to work as a contributing team member to the soil fertility group.
Required License:
- Valid driver’s license.
- Commercial Pesticide Applicator’s License for South Dakota or ability to obtain within one year of hire.
Preferred qualifications:
- Previous field research plot experience
- Previous experience operating agricultural equipment.
- Ability to drive trucks pulling trailers with equipment.
- Previous experience preparing soil and/or plant samples for analysis, including adding extractant to a soil, filtering the sample, and analyzing the sample with various procedures such as gravimetric, colorimetric, and spectrometric methods.
- Previous experience preparing plant samples for analysis, including performing extractions with wet digestion via microwave and analyzing either colorimetrically or spectrometrically.
Comments: This position is classified as Agricultural Manager/Specialist. South Dakota State University is a tobacco free environment. It is the policy of the university to maintain a drug-free environment and to thereby establish, promote, and maintain a safe and healthy working and learning environment for employees and students. This position is subject to the university’s Drug and Alcohol Testing Policy 4:14. Employment is contingent upon a successful background check.
Benefits: South Dakota State University offers an excellent comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, and vision coverage for the employee, spouse, and dependents; life insurance; long-term disability insurance; paid holidays; educational assistance; retirement plans; and a generous vacation accrual and sick day allowance.
Application Procedures: South Dakota State University accepts applications through an online employment site; to apply, visit https://YourFuture.sdbor.edu. [AE8115 – 80615]
Posting Date
06/21/2023
Closing Date
08/02/2023
Open Until Filled
No
First Consideration Date
Advertised Salary
$22.06/hour – $27.56/hour, depending upon experience, plus benefits
Duration of the Term
12 months
If Other, describe duration
Appointment Percent
100
Work Hours
Full time of 40 hours per week. Additional hours may be required during peak seasons (i.e. spring planting and fall harvesting).
Typical Hours Worked Per Week
Appointment Type
Regular
Scope of Search
External (includes Internal)
If internal, define scope of search
This position requires
Travel, Overnight stays, Weekends/Holidays, Valid Drivers License
If other, please indicate
Commercial Pesticide Applicator’s License for South Dakota or ability to obtain within one year of hire
Department Description and Cultural Expectations
South Dakota State University is the state’s largest, most comprehensive university with more than 200 academic programs, an enrollment of approximately 12,000 students, and over $60 million annual research expenditures.
South Dakota State University offers a rich academic experience in an environment of inclusion and access through inspired, student-centered education, creative activities and research, innovation and engagement that improve the quality of life in South Dakota, the region, the nation and the world. Its employees embrace the university’s core values of being people-centered, expanding knowledge through creativity, embracing organizational and personal integrity, commitment to diversity of thought, and excellence through continuous improvement.
As the state’s 1862 Morrill Act land-grant institution, the work of the university is carried out on its main resident campus in Brookings, at sites in Sioux Falls, Pierre, Rapid City, Aberdeen and through Extension offices and Agricultural Experiment Station research sites across South Dakota.
SDSU was recognized as one of 54 institutions in the United States as an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities in 2014. The university’s total research expenditures are greater than $60 million. SDSU is the state’s first High Research Activity institution as classified by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
Jackrabbits Athletics competes as a NCAA Division I member, with membership in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, the Summit League and the Big XII for wrestling.
Brookings is home to approximately 24,000 residents and is located 60 miles north of Sioux Falls and 200 miles west of Minneapolis. Livability.com rates Brookings as an ideal community for families, students, young professionals and retirees. It considers Brookings among the safest and most vibrant cities in South Dakota.
The Brookings Public School District educates approximately 3,300 K-12 students and ranks among the state’s highest academic achieving school districts. The district includes three elementary schools, an intermediate school for fourth and fifth grade, one middle school and a high school.
The city also boasts an abundance of attractions and activities, including the Children’s Museum of South Dakota, Dakota Nature Park, South Dakota Art Museum, McCrory Gardens, South Dakota Agricultural Heritage Museum, Outdoor Adventure Center and the Brookings Summer Arts Festival.
Equal Employment Opportunity Statement
South Dakota State University promotes access to and opportunities for all to receive the benefit of and participate in education, research, and service and is especially interested in candidates that can contribute to this land-grant access mission. SDSU is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to, and SDSU prohibits discrimination on, the basis of, sex, race, color, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, religion, age, disability, genetic information, veteran’s status, or any other status that may become protected in the offering of all educational programs and employment. Arrangements for accommodations required by disabilities can be made by emailing HR@sdstate.edu. Individuals with concerns regarding discrimination should contact: Equal Opportunity Officer/Title IX Coordinator, Human Resources, Morrill Hall 100, SDSU, Brookings, SD 57007. Phone: (605) 688-4128 .
Contact Information
For additional information regarding this position or questions about the online application process, please contact SDSU Human Resources at 605-688-4128.
How to Apply
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