Research Assistant

Fort Valley State University; Fort Valley (GA); On-site; USD 38,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

Fort Valley State University invites applications for a Research Assistant in Agricultural Electronic Engineering Technology. The role focuses on sensing systems, automation, instrumentation, and data acquisition for precision agriculture and greenhouse automation.

The successful candidate will support faculty and engineers with design, assembly, testing, and deployment of electronic systems used in agricultural research and development, aiming to improve productivity and resource efficiency.

Qualifications

• Basic knowledge of electronic circuits, sensors and instrumentation systems.
• Experience with microcontrollers (e.g. Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or similar platforms).
• Ability to read electronic schematics and assemble basic electronic components.
• Strong organizational and technical documentation skills.
• Ability to successfully pass a background check.

Responsibilities

• Design, assemble, and test electronic systems and instrumentation for agricultural research.
• Develop embedded systems, microcontroller-based devices, and sensor networks for monitoring and automation.
• Build and integrate hardware for precision agriculture technologies and automated irrigation controls.
• Prototype development and testing of agricultural electronic devices.
• Install and maintain field- and greenhouse-based data acquisition systems.
• Collect and manage data from sensors measuring environmental variables such as soil moisture, temperature, humidity, light, and nutrients.
• Assist with data analysis and visualization using spreadsheets or software, and help prepare reports and grant documents.

Skills

Electronic circuits

Microcontrollers

Schematic reading

Technical documentation

Background check

Education

Bachelor's degree in electronic engineering technology

Tools

Arduino

Raspberry Pi

Job description

FORT VALLEY STATE UNIVERSITY (FVSU), a state and land-grant institution of the University System of Georgia, invites applications for the position of Research Assistant- Agricultural Electronic Engineering Technology.

Fort Valley State University, the only 1890 land-grant university in Georgia, is a comprehensive institution that provides an education to over 2,800 students including graduate students. The university is located in the town of Fort Valley in Peach County, the original site of the state's peach industry. Its 1,365-acre (5.52 km2) campus is Georgia's second-largest public university in area.

Fort Valley State University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate against applicants, students, or employees on the basis of race, gender, ethnicity, national origin, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, or marital or veteran status.

JOB SUMMARY

The College of Agriculture, Family Sciences and Technology (CAFST) seeks an energetic team-oriented Research Assistant with expertise in Electronic Engineering Technology (EET) for a full-time12-month position.

The Research Assistant will support research and development activities related to Electronic Engineering Technology, including sensing systems, automation, instrumentation, and data acquisition used in modern agricultural production. The successful candidate will assist faculty researchers and engineers with the design, assembly, testing and deployment of electronic systems used in applications such as precision agriculture, environmental monitoring, smart irrigation, greenhouse automation and agricultural robotics.

The Research Assistant will contribute to applied research projects that integrate electronics, embedded systems, sensors and agricultural technologies to improve agricultural productivity, sustainability and resource efficiency.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Assist with the design, assembly, and testing of electronic systems and instrumentation used in agricultural research applications.
• Support development of embedded systems, microcontroller-based devices, and sensor networks for agricultural monitoring and automation.
• Participate in building and integrating hardware systems used in precision agriculture technologies, including soil sensors, climate monitoring systems and automated irrigation controls.
• Assist with prototype development and testing of agricultural electronic devices
• Install and maintain field-based and greenhouse-based data acquisition systems.
• Collect and manage data from sensors measuring environmental variables such as soil moisture, temperature, humidity, light intensity, and nutrient levels.
• Support integration of sensors with microcontrollers, data loggers, and wireless communication platforms.
• Assist in troubleshooting hardware and software issues related to electronic systems.
• Maintain laboratory equipment used for electronics development, including oscilloscopes, multimeters, soldering equipment, and testing tools.
• Ensure compliance with laboratory safety procedures and equipment maintenance protocols.
• Assist with data analysis and visualization using spreadsheets or analytical software.
• Support preparation of technical reports, research publications, and grant documentation
• Work collaboratively with faculty, engineers, technicians on interdisciplinary research projects
• Support preparation of materials for workshops, extension programming and educational demonstrations.

KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED BY THE POSITION

• Basic knowledge of electronic circuits, sensors and instrumentation systems.
• Experience with microcontrollers (e.g. Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or similar platforms.
• Ability to read electronic schematics and assemble basic electronic components.
• Strong organizational and technical documentation skills.
• Ability to successfully pass a background check

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in electronic engineering technology, Agricultural Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a closely related field.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience with precision agriculture technologies or agricultural automation systems.
• Familiarity with sensor networks, wireless communication (LoRa, Zigbee, Wi-Fi) or IoT platforms.
• Experience with programming languages such as Python, C/C++, or MATLAB
• Knowledge of data acquisition systems and environmental monitoring instrumentation.
• Experience working in field-based agricultural research environments

USG Core Values Statement

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning, as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.218_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.