Field Agronomy Research Technician

U.S. Department of Agriculture; Houma (LA); On-site; USD 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service, Sugarcane Research Unit in Houma, Louisiana, seeks a versatile staff scientist to collaborate with plant scientists on developing improved varieties and sustainable production methods for sugarcane.

The role covers field operations from land preparation to harvest, equipment maintenance, and data collection, with opportunities to learn new techniques and contribute to a growing pest management program.

Responsibilities

• Perform all field tasks involved in agronomic crop production through land preparation, planting, management, harvest, and post-harvest operations.
• Maintain an inventory of chemicals.
• Safely dispose of waste material (both chemical and biological).
• Search for literature or attend training or lectures pertinent to area of research for new procedures or techniques to use in the laboratory or field.
• Adapt, modify or develop new techniques and/or procedures to satisfy the needs of the research project.
• Participate in one or more phases of the research process by performing a variety of complex technical duties in a laboratory or field.
• Operate and maintain a variety of specialized equipment (i.e. tractors, sprayers, corn and soybean combine, cotton picker, cotton module builder, ATVs).
• Operate GPS, RTK, yield monitoring, and computer controlled farm equipment.

Job description

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service, Sugarcane Research Unit in Houma, Louisiana, seeks a versatile staff scientist to collaborate with plant scientists on developing improved varieties and sustainable production methods for sugarcane.

The role covers field operations from land preparation to harvest, equipment maintenance, and data collection, with opportunities to learn new techniques and contribute to a growing pest management program.