Job Description

We are looking for wage personnel at Plant Pathology Lab, 513 Latham Hall, on main Virginia Tech campus. Join the dynamic fruit tree pathology research team at Virginia Tech as a wage Agricultural Technician. This position role is critical in supporting high end research in plant pathology through hands-on greenhouse, field, and laboratory work, focusing on plant disease diagnostics, plant pathogen characterization, and plant disease management in greenhouse setting.

Key Responsibilities: Conduct work in the laboratory and manage, oversee, and collect data in greenhouse research setting, collect plant disease samples in the field.

Engage in field and greenhouse work, including traveling to apple orchards, collecting disease samples, ordering trees, planting, fertilizing and irrigating trees, flagging treatments, applying pesticide treatments in greenhouse, counting diseased and healthy leaves, shoots, flowers and fruit, and measuring disease severity, conducting sample collection and processing, creating plant pathogen inoculum and deploying it in the greenhouse.
Analyze infected plant organs, collect raw data for each disease, create document findings in Excel and Word files.
Collect and prepare plant tissues for plant pathogen identification or detection analyses, conduct plant pathogen isolation and culturing, maintain plant pathogen collection, run fungicide efficacy assays in the lab, including sample grinding with Geno grinder, and analysis with microtome, microscope and camera.
Assist in a broad range of greenhouse and lab experiments.
Ensure accurate and efficient data management, maintaining comprehensive records of all experimental activities in lab notebook (date, greenhouse bay, cultivar/s), online and in print.
Assist and collaborate with graduate students, postdocs and other lab personnel on their research tasks. This position will not exceed 1,500 hours within the payment year.

Required Qualifications

Direct or related experience in running and organizing various laboratory and greenhouse tasks for manipulating microorganisms and plant management, related to plant sciences, or biology as a wage personnel or similar capacity; Computer literacy, particularly with MS Word, Excel, email, and internet applications; Valid driver's license and access to personal transportation. Driving state vehicles is expected.

Preferred Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in plant sciences, biology, horticulture, microbiology or related field; Practical experience in greenhouse and laboratory work is ideal; Experience in data management and supervision.

Pay Band 2

Overtime Status Non-Exempt: Eligible for overtime

Appointment Type Restricted

Salary Information 15.00 - 17.00/hr. (commensurate with experience)

Hours per week Avg. of 29 hours per week (not to exceed 1,500 hours May 1 - April 30)

Review Date 05/03/2026

Additional Information The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Dr. Srjdan Acimovic at acimovic@vt.edu during regular business hours at least 10 business days prior to the event.

Apply Now

Agricultural Technician

Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, VA, USA