OSU Food Innovation Center Student Sensory Technician

Oregon State University; United States; On-site; USD 17,000 - 22,000; Part time

Job summary

Oregon State University’s Food Innovation Center in Portland, OR is hiring ten part-time Student Sensory Program Technician positions to support large consumer taste tests and sensory evaluation. Test dates are variable; preferred days are Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8:30am to 5pm.

This is a temporary, open-year posting with shifts up to 24 hours per week. Assigned duties include scheduling participants, sending emails, making copies, coding serving materials, food sample

Qualifications

• Must be academically enrolled in a high school, community college, or university and pursuing a program or course of study
• Must meet Academic Standing Requirements; students on academic suspension are not eligible for employment
• Undergraduate and post-baccalaureate student: 6 credit hours per term
• Graduate student international/USCIS requirements may apply

Responsibilities

• Scheduling participants
• Sending confirmation emails
• Making copies
• Coding serving materials
• Food sample preparation/serving
• Clean up

Skills

Communication

Teamwork

Professionalism

Career & Self Development

Education

Enrollment in school program (HS/college/university)

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Department: Food Innovation Center

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status.

This position is designated as a critical or security-sensitive position; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a Criminal History Check and be determined to be position qualified as per OSU Standard 576-055-0000 et seq. Incumbents are required to self-report convictions and those in Youth Programs may have additional Criminal History Checks every 2 years.

OSU will conduct a review of the National Sex Offender Public website prior to hire.

Note: All job offers are contingent upon Human Resources final approval.

Job Description

This recruitment will be used to fill ten (10) part-time (a maximum of 24 hours per week) Student Sensory Program Technician positions for the Food Innovation Center in Portland, Oregon, part of Oregon State University (OSU). This posting is open year‑around.

This is a temporary position for part‑time work to assist with conducing large consumer taste tests/sensory evaluation. Test dates are variable and may be on weekends, but Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8:30am to 5pm are preferred test days/times.

Position Duties

• Scheduling participants
• Sending confirmation emails
• Making copies
• Coding serving materials
• Food sample preparation/serving
• Clean up

Consumer tests are conducted both at the Oregon State University Food Innovation Center laboratory complex in downtown Portland, OR and off‑site such as grocery stores or food festivals. The laboratory complex includes a reception area, 10 taste test booths and a staging area, a focus group room and a commercial kitchen.

Transferable Skill Development

OSU is committed to ensuring students are prepared for success after graduation through intentional skill development as student employees. The competencies students develop while working at OSU are defined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) as the essential skills employers seek in their hires. In this position, students learn and build vital career‑readiness skills in the primary areas below: Communication, Teamwork, Professionalism, Career & Self Development.

Qualifications

Full Employment Eligibility Requirements can be found here: https://hr.oregonstate.edu/student-employment-manual/500-employment-eligibility-requirements

Required

• This position is designated as a critical or security-sensitive position; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a Criminal History Check and be determined to be position qualified as per OSU Standard 576-055-0000 et seq. Incumbents are required to self-report convictions and those in Youth Programs may have additional Criminal History Checks every 2 years.
• Must be academically enrolled in a high school, community college, or university and pursuing a program or course of study
• Must meet Academic Standing Requirements; students on academic suspension are not eligible for employment
• Must meet the applicable minimal enrollment standard
• High School student: Regularly enrolled in a high school or participating in a home‑schooling program
• Undergraduate and post‑baccalaureate student: 6 credit hours per term
• Undergraduate international student: 12 credit hours per term*
• Graduate student officially admitted to Graduate School: 5 credit hours per term
• Graduate international student officially admitted to Graduate School: 9 credit hours per term*
• *International students may be allowed to carry fewer hours than specified above and still be considered "full‑time" by The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). A reduced course load is approved by the Office of International Services (OIS), and must be provided to the Student Employment Center.

Preferred

• Preferred student candidates will be available for a minimum of 6 months
• Have a current Food Handlers License
• Have solid knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access and Outlook)

Working Conditions/Schedule

• Sensory testing work will take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8am to 5pm.
• Could be office work for recruitment and labeling or serving and preparing food samples in the sensory laboratory, which would require being on your feet for up to 8 hours per shi