Soil Sampling Technician

RPS; Northern Ireland; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

An environmental services company seeks Soil Sampling Technicians to conduct soil sampling across Northern Ireland. Technicians will work independently in rural areas, collecting soil samples and recording GPS data. The role requires working outdoors in varying winter conditions and offers competitive pay and bonuses.

Benefits

Travel expenses for using own vehicle

Bonuses

Qualifications

• Ability to work independently in remote rural environments.
• Availability to work at least 3 full weekdays.

Responsibilities

• Collect soil samples according to protocols.
• Navigate to fields using GPS and digital maps.
• Communicate regularly with Team Leader and landowners.

Skills

Experience working outdoors in various winter weather conditions

Full driving license

Experience with smartphones

Ability to navigate using digital maps

Job description

The Soil Nutrient Health Scheme (SNHS) was launched by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and managed by the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI). It is a four-year, £37 million initiative aimed at improving soil nutrient health and estimating farm carbon stocks across Northern Ireland. The scheme involves collecting soil samples from approximately 700,000 agricultural fields.

RPS has been contracted by AFBI to undertake soil sampling from 2022 to 2026, with peak sampling during the winter months of November to January. We are seeking Soil Sampling Technicians to join our team. These technicians will work as part of a larger team, primarily in Zone 4, with some roles in Zone 3 (see location map on page 4). The work involves lone working in rural agricultural environments. Full training, sampling equipment, personal protective equipment, and support will be provided.

Role Overview

Each Soil Sampling Technician will be part of a team led by an RPS Team Leader. Although part of a team, technicians will work independently in remote rural areas, using a lone worker app for safety. They will be provided with a rugged mobile device equipped with the ArcField Maps app, containing aerial maps and assigned fields.

On-site, technicians will navigate to their allocated fields, collect a minimum of 32 shallow soil samples along a W-shaped transect using a soil corer, and record GPS tracks of their sampling route. They will be responsible for properly bagging and labelling samples. If a field cannot be sampled, photographic evidence and notes must be provided.

Responsibilities

• Represent RPS professionally.
• Follow directions from the RPS Team Leader.
• Participate in training for soil corer and mobile device use.
• Undertake soil sampling according to training instructions, walking approximately 15 km per day in agricultural fields.
• Respect landowners' fields and properties.
• Read digital maps and navigate to fields.
• Collect and label soil samples following procedures.
• Record GPS locations of samples.
• Maintain equipment and plan sampling activities efficiently.
• Communicate regularly with the Team Leader and landowners.
• Support team members as needed.

Skills and Qualifications

• Experience working outdoors in various winter weather conditions (please specify in application).
• Full driving license and access to a personal vehicle.
• Availability to work at least 3 full weekdays (Monday-Friday).
• Experience with smartphones.

Further Information

Salary: £12.75 per hour, plus travel expenses for using own vehicle, and bonuses.