Description

West Virginia University's Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design (WVU DCANRD) is seeking applications for an Agricultural Research Specialist.

About the Opportunity:

As an Agricultural Research Specialist, you will contribute to the integrity of research, demonstration, and teaching initiatives conducted by faculty of WVU DCANRD and the WVU Experiment Station Center. You will provide labor and knowledge to ensure the highest quality of operation of the DCANRD Research, Education and Outreach Centers (REOC's). You will provide support to faculty who are conducting classes and demonstrations at research and teaching locations. You must be willing to work holidays, weekends, and after core business hours.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 15 annual leave (vacation) days per year or more based on years of service (employee leave)
• 18 sick days per year (for when you're ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family's, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ's.
• Wellness programs

PAY GRADE: 13

Work Hours: 7 am-3 pm as well as weekends & some OT

What you'll do:

Animal Care and Husbandry

• Feeds food stuffs and commercial feed types to specific animals such as sheep, goats, beef cattle, llamas, and chickens daily and as needed.
• Follows protocols, policies, Standard Operating Procedures, and requirements as directed, under light supervision.
• Receives newly arrived animals and provides clean animal housing, handling facilities, food, and water.
• Handles, restrains, and identifies specific animals as required and assists in treatment under supervision or independently as directed from veterinarian staff or researchers (i.e. Soundness exam, weighing, cleaning housing facilities, relocating pastures, etc.).
• Tags, numbers, or otherwise marks animals for identification.

Research and Education

• Assists Principal Investigator's (PI) and/or REOC management in the oversight of research activities to include: production, maintenance, collection, and collating of resources.
• Responsible for collecting research data and/or samples for the PI. Assists in organizing and collating data for statistical analyses and interpretation.
• Observes and records appropriate data and checks for completeness and accuracy in support of research projects. Prepares data for input in computer and assists in the processing of information generated from analyses.
• Maintains all required records, reports, statistics, etc. as mandated by Federal or State Laws and/or institutional policies and procedures. Maintains established departmental policies, procedures, objectives, and quality assurance, safety, and environmental controls.

Heavy Equipment Operation

• Operates a wide range of large agricultural and construction equipment such as tractors, sprayers, front loaders, scrapers, silo fillers, balers, haybines, combines, brush cutters, etc. to complete varied tasks associated with the maintenance and operation of the REOC's, including operations in support of research projects.
• Operates a truck weighing 26,000 lbs. GVW or less to haul logs, posts, fertilizer, lime, produce, livestock, equipment, hay and other REOC products and supplies.

Qualifications

• Associates Degree in an agricultural related field or a high school diploma/GED with at least 2 years of relevant work experience in the required fields (animal or plant research facility including working with layout).
• 0-6 months experience in the following areas:
  
  
  • Experience on an animal or plant research facility including working with layouts.
  • Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint).
  • Data collection and management.
• Knowledge of agricultural and plant science and practices (e.g. production practices of livestock and plants).
• Proven ability to gather or assist in collecting research data, handling and preparation of labs.
• Ability to learn, understand, and follow WVU, Davis College and Division lab policies and procedures.
• Ability to utilize Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint) to maintain data for research, samples, safety, etc.
• Ability to operate tillage, feeding, and other REOC equipment with a high degree of accuracy for small plot and animal research needs.
• Understanding of basic experimental design, including replication, plots and sub-plots, consistency of data collection.
• Understanding of both precision and accuracy in record collection and the need for research protocol adherence.
• Ability to effectively utilize data sheets and spreadsheets to collect and organize data.
• Ability to use and comprehend record keeping software such as Cattlemax, HerdManager, and FarmWorks.
• Effective organizational, task management, and computational skills.
• Ability to understand simple to complex instructions, both written and oral.
• Demonstrated ability to walk/run in rough field conditions and terrain when herding animals.
• Demonstrated ability to physically restrain and handle animals and provide hands-on treatment of livestock.
• Proven ability to administer medications and vaccinations to animals.
• Ability to apply pesticides - may require obtaining license and wearing protective clothing and apparatus.
• Ability to perform basic mathematical calculations.
• Ability to communicate effectively both orally and in writing, write coherently and concisely, and use appropriate grammar and spelling.
• Demonstrated ability to operate normal REOC equipment such as tractors, posthole diggers, spray equipment, balers, mixers, shearing equipment, brooder stoves, heaters, milking machines, etc.
• Demonstrated ability to work in barns spreading hay, shoveling manure, feeding animals and providing daily care.
• Ability to follow safety precautions and guidelines (e.g. wearing required clothing, masks, equipment, etc.).
• Ability to understand and carry out Organic Pasture Management and Forage Production Practices.
• Ability to learn and understand the IACUC protocols and Standard Operating Procedures for animal care, health, and comfort.
• Ability to travel, with occasional overnight stays.
• Ability to obtain State P-Card.
• Ability to work on holidays, weekends, and after core business hours.
• Willingness to work on a rotating schedule.

Preferred Qualilfications:

• Bachelor's degree
• Experience in instructing/educating students.

Certifications:

• Completion of CiTi animal handler training required (Animal Care and Use Committee Requirement).
• Enrollment in WVU Occupational Health's Animal Handling Monitoring required.
• Pesticide applicators license is required to apply pesticides (may obtain this licensure post hire).
• Relevant Environmental Health and Safety requirements and training.
• Expected to become familiar with IACUC protocol and standard operating procedures for animal care, health, and comfort.

• Valid Driver's license required.
• Ability to carry out tasks in rough field conditions and terrain.
• Ability to bend, stoop, walk, reach, sit and stand for extended periods of time.
• Work occurs in barns, field plots and field site areas with exposure to wide-ranging weather conditions, hay, manure, livestock, dust, molds, pollen, allergens, insects etc. commonly encountered in agricultural settings.
• Ability to lift, push, pull or carry 50 pounds or more Hand/eye coordination and manual dexterity.