DRIVES Research Associate

• Understanding how varied cropping systems support healthy soil, clean water, and other natural benefits, and reduce the risk of adverse weather
• Finding practical ways to increase the variety of crops grown on farms
• Exploring how these practices fit into real-world farming and food systems

Through hands-on research, teaching, and collaboration with students, farmers, and the community, we aim to build a more sustainable and just food future for North Carolina and beyond.

Wolfpack Perks and Benefits

As a Pack member, you belong here, and can enjoy exclusive perks designed to enhance your personal and professional well-being. As you consider this opportunity, we encourage you to review our Employee Value Proposition and learn more about what makes NC State the best place to learn and work for everyone.

What we offer:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision
• Flexible Spending Account
• Retirement Programs
• Disability Plans
• Life Insurance
• Accident Plan
• Paid Time Off and Other Leave Programs
• 12 Holidays Each Year
• Tuition and Academic Assistance
• And so much more!

Attain Work-life balance with our Childcare benefits, Wellness & Recreation Membership, and Wellness Programs that aim to build a thriving wolfpack community.

Disclaimer: Perks and Benefit eligibility is based on Part-Time or Full-Time Employment status. Eligibility and Employer Sponsored Plans can be found within each of the links offered.

Essential Job Duties

The DRIVES Agroecology Research Associate will work under the supervision of the Agroecology Professor to support the growth of the Agroecology Lab’s research program about the impacts of crop diversification. Key responsibilities will include organizing and maintaining the Diverse Rotation Improve Valuable Ecosystem Services (DRIVES) database (drives-network.org) and conducting synthesis research on crop diversification across a range of environmental conditions.

The DRIVES database is a network of data from long-term cropping systems experiments. The Associate will be responsible for database expansion and enhancing interoperability using data dictionaries and controlled vocabularies when including additional variables. They will lead database content development and write code to assess the linkages between rotational diversity and economic performance and soil health. They will prepare publications for peer-reviewed journals and develop partnerships across the long-term cropping systems research community.

Duties include:

Research Data Management & Database Development

• Organize, maintain, and expand the Diverse Rotation Improve Valuable Ecosystem Services (DRIVES) database.
• Enhance database interoperability by developing and implementing data dictionaries and controlled vocabularies.
• Integrate and validate data from long-term cropping systems experiments across multiple research sites.
• Ensure data quality, consistency, and accessibility to support collaborative agroecology research.

Research Analysis & Scholarly Publications

• Conduct synthesis research evaluating the impacts of crop diversification across diverse environmental conditions.
• Develop and maintain analytical code to examine relationships between rotational diversity, economic performance, and soil health.
• Interpret research findings and prepare manuscripts for submission to peer-reviewed scientific journals.
• Present research findings and contribute to reports, publications, and other scholarly products.

Collaboration & Research Network Development

• Develop and maintain partnerships with collaborators across the long-term cropping systems research community.
• Coordinate with researchers to facilitate data sharing and database expansion.
• Participate in project meetings and communicate project progress with internal and external stakeholders.
• Contribute to advancing the Agroecology Lab’s research program through collaborative initiatives.

Position is contingent on availability of funds, potentially 6 months to 1.5 years

Other Responsibilities

• Mentorship of graduate and undergraduate students, disseminating research in publications and outreach training activities.
• Communicate with the IT services and maintain the website and the virtual machine.

Minimum Education and Experience

• Relevant Master’s degree, or
• Relevant Bachelor’s and 3 or more years of relevant experience, relevant independent experience and education.

Other Required Qualifications

The Research Associate must be a clear communicator, have strong organizational skills, be able to work with diverse individuals, and work independently as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• PhD in agronomy, soil science, or ecology,
• Mastery in R, expertise in addressing spatiotemporal elements of research questions related to crop diversification,
• Experience working with long-term cropping systems data,
• Experience handling legacy datasets for organization and analysis, experience with large publicly available datasets,
• Expertise in Bayesian statistics, experience working with supercomputers.

Required License(s) or Certification(s)

N/A

Valid NC Driver's License required

No

Commercial Driver's License required

No

Job Open Date

08/06/2026

Anticipated Close Date

Open Until Filled

Special Instructions to Applicants

Please attach a Cover Letter, resume/CV, and contact information for three (3) professional references.

Position Number

00112240

Position Type

EPS/SAAO

Full Time Equivalent (FTE) (1.0 = 40 hours/week)

1.00

Appointment

12 Month Recurring

Mandatory Designation - Adverse Weather

Non Mandatory - Adverse Weather

Mandatory Designation - Emergency Events

Non Mandatory - Emergency Event

Department ID

110901 - Crop and Soil Sciences

EEO

NC State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal opportunities for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. The University encourages all qualified applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, to apply. Individuals with disabilities requiring disability-related accommodations in the application and interview process are welcome to contact 919-513-0574 to speak with a representative of the Office of Equal Opportunity.

If you have general questions about the application process, you may contact Human Resources at (919) 515-2135 or workatncstate@ncsu.edu.

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date in order to meet qualifications and receive credit.

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Organization

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NC State’s 9,000 faculty and staff are world leaders in their fields, bridging the divides between academic disciplines and training high-caliber students to meet tomorrow’s challenges. NC State students won two Goldwater scholarships, five Fulbright scholarships, one Churchill scholarship and a record-breaking 25 National Science Foundation graduate research fellowships in the 2016-2017 academic year. In addition, 25 faculty are members of the National Academies.

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More than 130 years after its creation, NC State continues to make its founding purpose a reality. Every day, our career-ready graduates and world-leading faculty make the fruits of learning and discovery available to people across the state, throughout the nation and around the world.