Junior Specialist - Lazcano Lab

University of California; Davis (CA); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

The Lazcano Soil Biodiversity and Health Lab at the University of California is seeking a Junior Specialist to support soil ecology projects in wine grape production and other agricultural settings. You will perform field sampling across California, with occasional trips to Oregon and Washington, and manage lab safety and instrument use.

You will coordinate sampling events, collect and process samples, run biochemical analyses, maintain equipment, and contribute to scholarly manuscripts through

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Sustainable Agricultural Systems, Soil Science, Biology, Agricultural Engineering or similar.
• Experience with soil sampling and field work in agricultural settings is relevant.
• Ability to process and manage lab responsibilities and follow safety protocols.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and lead soil sampling events with lab members and growers.
• Collect soil, plant and gas samples at field sites across California.
• Process samples (sieving, drying, grinding) for analyses.
• Perform biochemical analyses of samples (biomass, C and N, microbial activity).
• Maintain and troubleshoot lab instruments and tools.
• Keep records, enter data, and synthesize results for reporting.

Skills

Soil sampling

Lab safety

Data entry

Statistical analysis

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Environmental Science, Sustainable Agricultural Systems, Soil Science, Biology, Agricultural Engineering or similar

Job description

The Lazcano Soil Biodiversity and Health Lab is seeking a highly motivated individual to contribute to the ongoing projects in soil ecology and soil health in different agricultural settings ([Soil Biodiversity and Health Lab - Healthy soils for healthy food and a healthy planet] sample statement).

The successful candidate will participate in soil sampling and analysis to determine the variability in different aspects of soil health in wine grape production. Parallel research will try to determine the biological processes underpinning changes in soil health under different management strategies.

The Junior specialist will interact closely with growers and perform field sampling in different regions of California, with occasional samplings that will require traveling to Oregon and Washington. In addition, the Junior Specialist will be expected to perform lab management tasks such as waste management, safety protocols and coordination of instrument use.

Under the supervision of Dr. Lazcano, the Junior Specialist will perform the following duties:

I. Research (90%)

• Coordination and leading of soil sampling events, in collaboration with the lab graduate students and postdocs.
• Collection of soil, plant and gas samples at the field sites
• Processing of the samples collected (sieving, drying, grinding)
• Biochemical analyses of the samples (microbial biomass, C and N contents, microbial activity, etc.)
• Maintenance and troubleshooting of the instruments and tools in the lab
• Recordkeeping, data entry and synthesis.
• Implementation and maintenance of UC Davis lab safety requirements
• Participation in regular lab meetings
• Regular and fluent communication with the PI and graduate students
• Review research proposals, journal manuscripts, and publications related to area of expertise.
• Contribution to scholarly scientific manuscripts from the lab, by writing methods, creating figures and performing statistical analyses on the data collected

Professional competence (5%):

The Junior Specialist will be encouraged to attend and present at regular laboratory group meetings, attend seminars at the university, and local scientific and extension meetings to present data. Examples of meetings where the candidate would present are, wine-industry field days, The California Plant and Soil annual conference, the California Annual Small Farm Conference as well as the annual meetings of the American Geophysical Union and the Soil Science Society of America.

University and public service (5%):

The Junior Specialist may mentor undergraduate lab assistants working in the lab

Required to hold valid driver's license, have a driving record that is in accordance with local policies/procedures, and/or enroll in the California Employer Pull Notice Program.

Bachelors degree in Environmental Science, Sustainable Agricultural Systems, Soil Science, Biology, Agricultural Engineering or similar.

In general, it is inappropriate to appoint an individual with a Master's or Doctoral degree in the relevant discipline or a baccalaureate degree plus three or more years of experience with the specialized methods as a Junior Specialist.