Agricultural Science Research Technician

US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Research Service (ARS); Houma (LA); On-site; USD 55,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

The Sugarcane Research Unit of the Agricultural Research Service (USDA) in Houma, Louisiana seeks a qualified candidate to collaborate with scientists on developing improved sugarcane varieties and production approaches. You will engage in pest management research spanning diseases, insects, and weeds in a field-lacustrine setting.

Responsibilities include handling biological samples, operating lab equipment, performing PCR analyses, and maintaining meticulous records to support project

Qualifications

• Specialized experience in entomology or plant science related laboratory work.
• Experience preparing or analyzing biological samples.
• Ability to operate common lab equipment and record data.
• Graduate education and/or combination of education and experience accepted for GS levels.

Responsibilities

• Work with scientists to develop improved varieties and environmentally friendly production strategies.
• Analyze biological samples and maintain detailed experimental records.
• Assist in pest identification and PCR analyses; summarize data using software packages.

Skills

Lab techniques

Microscopy

PCR analysis

Record keeping

Data analysis

Education

Master's degree or equivalent graduate education

Tools

PCR equipment

Microscope

Lab inventory management

Job description

Summary

This position is located in the Agricultural Research Service, Plant Science Research Office, Sugarcane Research Unit in Houma, Louisiana. In this position, you will work with scientists to develop improved varieties and environmentally friendly production strategies that will expand the cropping range, and combat a constantly evolving pest complex that includes diseases, insects, and weeds.

Duties

This position is located in the Agricultural Research Service, Plant Science Research Office, Sugarcane Research Unit in Houma, Louisiana. In this position, you will work with scientists to develop improved varieties and environmentally friendly production strategies that will expand the cropping range, and combat a constantly evolving pest complex that includes diseases, insects, and weeds.

Requirements

Applicants must meet all qualifications and eligibility requirements by the closing 11/03/2026 of the announcement including specialized experience and/or education, as defined below. GS-07 Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-07 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-06 which is directly related to the work of this position, and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience preparing or analyzing biological samples related to entomology; operating common laboratory or greenhouse equipment used for test or evaluation procedures; and keeping detailed records of experimental data. OR Successful completion of one full year of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree, if directly related. Related degrees may include Entomology, Biology, Pathology, Genetics, Agriculture, Plant Science. OR A combination of graduate education and specialized experience as described above. GS-08 Qualifying experience for GS-08 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-07 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience participating in a entomology or plant science research project; using a microscope for organism identification and quantification, analyzing samples using PCR, and summarizing data using software packages; and maintaining inventory of laboratory equipment or supplies. OR Successful completion of two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree, if directly related. Related degrees may include Entomology, Biology, Pathology, Genetics, Agriculture, Plant Science. OR A combination of graduate education and specialized experience as described above. GS-09 Specialized Experience: Specialized experience is experience directly related to the position to be filled. Specialized experience must be described for each grade level advertised. The specialized experience requirements for this position are: Qualifying experience for GS-09 includes one year of specialized experience comparable to GS-08 which is directly related to the work of this position and which has equipped the applicant with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position. For this position, specialized experience is experience conducting an experiment involving entomology and plant science; maintaining specialized scientific equipment and automated systems used for test and evaluation procedures; using a microscope for organism identification and quantification and preparing reagents or solutions for use in a laboratory setting for PCR analysis. OR Successful completion of two full years of progressively higher-level graduate education leading to a master's or equivalent graduate degree, if directly related. Related degrees may include Entomology, Biology, Pathology, Genetics, Agriculture, Plant Science. OR A combination of graduate education and specialized experience as described above. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community, student, social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Agriculture Research Service is the U.S. Department of Agriculture's chief scientific in-house research agency. Our job is finding solutions to agricultural problems that affect Americans every day from field to table. What we do matters in science and the world. For more information about Agricultural Research Service, go to https://www.ars.usda.gov/