Applied CEA Research Specialist

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (VT); Virginia (IL); On-site; USD 58,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Virginia Tech's School of Plant and Environmental Sciences seeks a Research Associate to lead applied research in controlled environment agriculture, overseeing industry-sponsored trials in greenhouse, hydroponics, lighting, and automation at the Danville, Virginia site.

The successful candidate will develop testing protocols, collect and analyze data, prepare technical reports, and contribute to scholarly outputs, including publications and extension materials, helping build a sustainable

Qualifications

• Master's degree in horticulture, plant science, crop science, CEA, agricultural engineering or closely related field.
• Experience with greenhouse, hydroponic, or indoor vertical farm research.
• Experience with experimental design, data collection, and data management.
• Ability to analyze and interpret research data; strong technical writing and communication.
• Ability to work independently and with a multidisciplinary team; capable of physical tasks in lab/greenhouse.

Responsibilities

• Lead implementation and management of applied research and industry-sponsored trials.
• Develop testing protocols, conduct research, and collect and analyze data.
• Prepare technical reports and disseminate findings; contribute to peer-reviewed outputs.
• Support cooperative extension programming with educational materials.

Skills

Experimental design

Data collection

Data management

Statistical analysis

Scientific writing

Independent work

Team collaboration

Technical communication

Education

Master's degree in related field

Tools

R

Job description

Virginia Tech's School of Plant and Environmental Sciences seeks a Research Associate to lead applied research in controlled environment agriculture, overseeing industry-sponsored trials in greenhouse, hydroponics, lighting, and automation at the Danville, Virginia site.

The successful candidate will develop testing protocols, collect and analyze data, prepare technical reports, and contribute to scholarly outputs, including publications and extension materials, helping build a sustainable