"Technician III"

Technician III

The Opportunity

As an individual contributor you will model and support a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and wellbeing and continually seek to understand how your role, behaviors, and actions impact the success of this culture.

About the College

The College of Agriculture and Life Science is a pioneer of purpose-driven science and Cornell University's second largest college. We work across disciplines to tackle the challenges of our time through world-renowned research, education and outreach. The questions we prove and the answers we seek focus on three overlapping concerns: natural and human systems; food, energy and environmental resources; and social, physical and economic well-being. The Horticulture Section is part of Cornell's School of Integrative Plant Science (SIPS), a large internationally renowned group of academics with abundant interactions and joint projects. Members of the Section collaborate with colleagues working in areas of plant breeding, genomics, plant biology, international agriculture and many other areas of the life and agricultural sciences. For more information about SIPS and the Horticulture Section, please visit http://sips.cals.cornell.edu/. The Geneva campus also includes USDA facilities that house two units, the Plant Genetics Resources Unit (PGRU) and the Grape Genetics Research Unit (GGRU), comprised of over 30 staff and scientists who collaborate on a diverse array of research projects. The PGRU serves as the repository for the national apple germplasm collection as well as collections of hemp, other fruit and vegetable crops.

Program research is focused on breeding, genetics, genomics, and physiology of willow bioenergy crops, hemp, hop, and other field and specialty crops. Shrub willow (Salix spp.) produce high yields of woody biomass when grown as a dedicated short-rotation crop on marginal or underutilized land. Willow stems are harvested every three years and the plants resprout after each cutback, making willow fields productive for more than 20 years. Dr. Smart directs the largest willow breeding program in North America and collaborates with colleagues across North America on studies of willow biomass composition, willow crop management, and regional yield trials. Hemp has emerged as a new and popular crop on the NY landscape with potential to expand to 1 M ac of cultivation in the US in the next several years. Smart directs the largest academic hemp breeding program in the country aimed at developing cultivars with high yield and environmental adaptation to meet market demands for grain, fiber, and natural products. Smart also directs the Cornell hop breeding program, with the goal of selecting new, high yielding disease-resistance hop cultivars for NYS craft brewers. The Smart collaborates with plant pathologists, agronomists, food scientists, ag engineers, materials scientists, and economists to produce cutting edge scientific results that benefit society.

The position is located within the Horticulture Section of the School of Integrative Plant Science.

Perform field and laboratory research under the general supervision of Supervisor on breeding and evaluation of hop varieties and breeding lines in nursery beds, yield trials, genetics trials, and greenhouse and growth chamber experiments. Specific responsibilities are to 1) collect and manage data on crop growth and performance, 2) collect, process, and analyze crop tissue samples using multiple analytical methods, 3) establish and maintain research field, greenhouse and growth chamber trials, 4) enter data into spreadsheets, check data for quality, and maintain accurate files, 5) maintain field and lab instrumentation and equipment, 6) collect and analyze genetic materials produced from controlled pollinations, 7) coordinate with temporary staff in collecting and processing data and in establishing and maintaining field trials and greenhouse plants, 8) collect data and images from research trials and experiments, 9) assist with the delivery of extension programming, including assisting with exhibits and field day events, 10) maintain good communications within the program team, with collaborators at Cornell and other institutions and with stakeholders, and 11) identify procedural problems and communicate those to the supervisor.

While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a psychologically healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others.

This is a full-time position at 97.5% FTE. This is a one-year term appointment that is contingent upon available work, funding, and performance.

What We Need

• Associate's Degree in the area of biology, horticulture, agricultural science, plant pathology, forestry, or related discipline and at least two years relevant professional experience.
• Must have knowledge and/or education in agricultural research methodology and must have formal training or knowledge of plant science or horticulture.
• Demonstrated proficiency in the use of a range of field and laboratory equipment and methodology and statistical analysis. Prior experience in collecting complex data and organizing a field research team.
• Must have strong written and oral communication skills. Must possess excellent organizational skills. Strong skills in the use Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
• Must have good eyesight, attention to detail, and fine motor skills. Must be willing to work in the field for long durations under harsh conditions. Must be able to carry out repetitive tasks for extended periods of time. Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs. Must be willing to use loud equipment for extended periods of time.
• Must be able to travel to field sites, including occasional extended overnight stays. Must be willing to communicate with team members using a personal cell phone.
• Must possess and maintain a current US state driver's license and have a successful driving background check.
• Experience in and/or demonstrated commitment to supporting diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and wellbeing.
• Passionate about working in an organization that values and promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, anti-racism, and wellbeing.
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive and equitable working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members. Must be willing to use personal mobile phone at work.

If you have all those things, great! We have a few more things that we would prefer you to have, but it's ok if you don't.

• Bachelor's Degree in the area of biology, horticulture, agricultural science, plant pathology, forestry, or related discipline.
• Certified NYS pesticide applicator license.
• Commercial driver's license.
• FAA Part 107 UAS Pilot's License and experience flying unmanned aerial vehicles.
• Experience driving tractors or heavy equipment and operating saws, mowers, and other power tools.
• Familiarity with plant phenotyping instrumentation, such as photosynthesis system and leaf area meters. Experience identifying and surveying insect pests and pathogens. Experience growing plants under greenhouse or growth chamber conditions.
• Experience working with hop fields, hop harvest, drying, and knowledge of the brewing industry.
• Familiarity with laboratory instrumentation and methodology, such as DNA isolation, electrophoresis, PCR, spectrophotometry. Familiarity with bioinformatic analysis of DNA sequence data. Experience with statistical packages such as JMP, and graphics software such as Photoshop.
• Experience writing reports, manuscripts, and grant proposals. Experience with science or nature photography and videography. Experience with web page design and maintenance.
• Experience with robotics, greenhouse control systems, remote imaging systems, or post-harvest processing.

Rewards and Benefits

Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, and sustainability.

University Job Title: Technician III

Job Family: Technical

Level: C

Pay Rate Type: Hourly

Pay Range: $24.31 - $26.87