Research Technician
Company: North Carolina State University
Job Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
Category: Laboratory and Research
Type: Full-Time
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Department: 110901 - Crop and Soil Sciences
Location: Raleigh, NC
Essential Job Duties
Join the Cotton Genetics and Breeding Lab and contribute to research that advances cotton genetics, genomics, and plant breeding. As a Research Technician, you will provide essential technical and operational support across field, greenhouse, growth chamber, laboratory, and seed-processing environments. Working alongside faculty, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and collaborators, you will help ensure research activities are conducted safely, accurately, and efficiently while supporting the development and evaluation of improved cotton breeding materials.
Key Responsibilities
Research Operations & Technical Support
- Support cotton genetics and breeding research by preparing field plots, greenhouse materials, and controlled-environment facilities for planting, phenotyping, harvesting, and research trials.
- Perform mechanical and manual planting, harvesting, ginning, acid-delinting, seed processing, and sample preparation while advancing and maintaining breeding populations through controlled crosses and self-pollination activities.
- Collect, measure, and record phenotypic and experimental data from field, greenhouse, growth chamber, and laboratory studies to support ongoing research projects.
Data Management & Research Compliance
- Maintain accurate electronic records for phenotypic data, seed inventories, experimental documentation, and research activities using tools such as Excel and Google Sheets.
- Prepare and maintain documentation related to chemical storage, sample tracking, laboratory safety, and equipment use while ensuring compliance with institutional research and Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) requirements.
Equipment, Facilities & Resource Management
- Operate, maintain, and perform basic troubleshooting of field equipment, laboratory instruments, ginning and acid-delinting machinery, irrigation tools, and state vehicles.
- Manage research resources by organizing seed stocks, supplies, greenhouse and field materials, and laboratory inventories to support efficient research operations.
Collaboration & Field Operations
- Travel to research stations and off-campus facilities to assist with experimental setup, plot layout, planting, crop maintenance, data collection, and harvest activities.
- Coordinate daily research activities with cooperating scientists, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, research station staff, collaborators, and visiting scientists to support timely project completion and effective program operations.
Other Work/Responsibilities
- Conduct ginning and acid-delinting of seed cotton; catalog, store, and prepare seed samples for field, greenhouse, and growth chamber planting.
- Travel to research stations and off-campus facilities to support field and nursery operations, including experimental design, plot layout, field marking, and planting.
- Perform mechanical and manual planting, harvesting, and seed processing of cotton in field plots, greenhouses, and controlled environments.
- Coordinate planting, breeding, harvesting, and seed processing activities with students, postdoctoral researchers, collaborators, and research station personnel.
- Prepare and maintain field plots and greenhouse materials, including envelopes, stakes, pots, growth media, reagents, and chemical solutions required for experiments.
- Conduct cotton breeding activities, including making crosses, selfing flowers, phenotyping plants and plots, and preparing samples for analysis.
- Collect, observe, measure, and record phenotypic and experimental data from field, greenhouse, growth chamber, and laboratory settings.
- Develop, maintain, catalog, and share digital records (e.g., Excel or Google Sheets) for phenotypic data, seed inventories, supplies, and equipment.
- Operate, maintain, and perform basic troubleshooting of field equipment, ginning and acid-delinting machinery, laboratory tools, and state vehicles.
- Prepare and maintain documentation related to chemical storage, sample tracking, laboratory safety, and equipment use.
- Ensure compliance with environmental health and safety regulations and institutional research compliance guidelines across all facilities.
- Manage program resources, including seed stocks, supplies, tools, equipment, greenhouse and field materials, and vehicles, following established protocols.
- Assist and work collaboratively with students, postdocs, visiting scientists, collaborators, and stakeholders to support research activities and compliance at work sites.
Minimum Experience/Education: Demonstrated possession of the competencies necessary to perform the work.
Required Qualifications
1. Field, Greenhouse, and Laboratory Technical Skills:
- Ability to perform routine technical tasks in field, greenhouse, growth chamber, laboratory, and seed-processing environments.
- Skills in planting, maintaining, phenotyping, harvesting, and processing cotton research plots and plant materials.
- Ability to assist with or perform controlled crosses, selfing of flowers, and handling of breeding populations following established protocols.
2. Equipment Operation and Seed Processing Skills:
- Ability to safely operate and assist with routine maintenance of field equipment, greenhouse tools, laboratory instruments, ginning machinery, and acid-delinting units.
- Skills in preparing, labeling, cataloging, storing, and distributing cotton seed samples for research use.
- Ability to operate state vehicles and farm equipment in compliance with university policies.
3. Data Collection, Computing, and Recordkeeping Skills:
- Skills in collecting, observing, measuring, and recording phenotypic and experimental data accurately.
- Ability to use standard computing tools (e.g., Excel, Google Sheets) to document data, inventories, procedures, and equipment logs.
- Attention to detail in maintaining organized, accurate, and traceable research records.
4. Safety, Compliance, and Laboratory Practices:
- Knowledge of and ability to follow laboratory, field, and environmental health and safety procedures.
- Skills in handling chemicals, biological materials, and equipment in compliance with institutional and regulatory guidelines.
- Ability to prepare and maintain documentation related to chemical storage, sample tracking, and equipment use.
5. Communication, Coordination, and Teamwork:
- Ability to follow written and verbal instructions and communicate effectively with supervisors and research team members.
- Skills in working collaboratively with faculty, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, research station staff, and visiting scientists with diverse educational and cultural backgrounds.
- Ability to coordinate routine research activities and support compliance and operational needs across multiple work sites.
6. Organizational and Time-Management Skills:
- Ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities in a seasonal, field-intensive research environment.
- Skills in organizing materials, supplies, and workflows to support efficient research operations.
- Reliability and flexibility to support time-sensitive planting, phenotyping, and harvesting schedules.
Preferred Qualifications
- Previous experience performing cotton or other plant breeding or biology activities, including controlled crosses, selfing, phenotyping, planting, harvesting, and maintaining plant populations.
- Experience operating and performing routine maintenance or troubleshooting of agricultural, field, greenhouse, laboratory, ginning, or seed-processing equipment.
- Experience collecting, organizing, and managing research data and records using Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, or similar electronic data systems.
- Experience handling and documenting seed/plant samples, chemical materials, biological materials, laboratory supplies, and research equipment in accordance with established safety and compliance procedures.
- Experience coordinating research activities and priorities while working collaboratively with graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, research station personnel, visiting scientists, and other research team members.
Required license or certification
- A valid NC Driver's License and the ability to obtain an NC Driver's License within 60 days of hire.
- A valid Driver's License must be maintained throughout employment.
Position Number: 00112245
AA/EEO Statement: 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.
NC State University participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.
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