Kansas Farm Research Network
Research Assistant Position
A critical component to the success of KFRN is the employment of a summer research assistant (RA) to provide in-field support to participants by helping set up in-field treatments, making regular observations, taking regular samples, collecting & compiling data, transforming data into interpretable results, and helping develop presentations and publications from the results. KARTA has offered to endow an RA position in the River Valley Extension District for this program at a competitive wage for a qualified applicant with knowledge and experience in production agriculture.
Job Description
Job Classification: Seasonal
Reporting Relationship: Field Coordinator & Executive Board
Primary Accountability: The Research Assistant works with the KARTA Executive Board, K-State College of Agriculture researchers, and Kansas farmers to provide technical support to on-farm research projects in north-central Kansas.
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Major Duties:
• Coordinate with participating farmers, KARTA Board, and KFRN associated researchers to define implementation plans for on-farm research projects
• Visit project fields to assist participating farmers with setting up experiments, taking measurements, and recording observations according to implementation plans
• Compile and prepare data collected from project fields for analysis by KFRN associated researchers
• Work with KFRN associated researchers to prepare project analyses for outreach products, including presentations and publications
Qualifications:
• Professional or academic experience in agronomy, crop/weed science, grain science, soil science, plant breeding, plant pathology, entomology, or other closely related agriculture field
• Highly motivated, organized, accurate and detail oriented with strong oral and written communication skills.
• Available to work flexible hours as job requires.
• Available to travel daily within KFRN project region.
Work Environment:
• Hybrid/remote position within the KFRN project region with requirements to be at participating project fields at scheduled days and times.
• Outdoor work environment with possibilities for rain, wind, hail, sleet, snow, heat, cold, or other weather conditions.
• Opportunity to use office space and/or supplies in River Valley Extension District offices in Clay Center, Concordia, Belleville, and Washington as needed between 7:30 AM – 4:30 PM, Monday – Friday, when coordinated with RVED staff.
• Opportunity to use RVED work vehicles for project field visits as needed, when coordinated with RVED staff.
• Seasonal position with flexible schedule and a maximum of 560 hours during summer interterm (May 17 – August 22).
• Wages: $20/hr± depending on qualifications
Additional Duties: This job description does not represent an exhaustive list of potential duties for this position. Additional duties may be required by the research assistant based on the circumstances of onfarm research projects.