Research Assistant II

Montana State University

Sidney, Northern (MT, KY)

Hybrid

USD 40,000 - 44,000

Full time

2 days ago

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Job summary

Montana State University’s Eastern Agricultural Research Center in Sidney, MT seeks a staff member to support cereal variety trials and related field, greenhouse, and lab activities. The position emphasizes hands-on work with seeds, plots, and sample processing across field and laboratory environments.

Primary duties include planting, fertilizer application, sampling, data entry, and maintaining facilities.

Qualifications

Experience organizing field and greenhouse experiments.
Experience processing soil and plant samples in the lab.
Proficiency with Microsoft Word and Excel.

Responsibilities

Packaging and organizing seeds.
Planting field plots (tractor or planter).
Applying fertilizer and weed control.
Collecting soil and plant samples.
Processing soil and plant samples in the lab.
Measuring grain quality parameters in the lab.
Recording and entering data into a computer.
Assist in cleaning and maintenance of grounds and facilities.

Skills

Field & greenhouse experiments

Lab soil & plant samples

Word & Excel proficiency

Education

High school diploma or B.S. in related fields

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

This position is not eligible for new sponsorship.

Position Information

Announcement Number

Announcement Number STAFF - VA - 27118

For questions regarding this position, please contact:

This position is located at the MSU Eastern Agricultural Research Center, in Sidney, MT. MSU EARC has a nice research facility with modern research labs, greenhouses, and irrigated and dryland research farms. The research farms are equipped with three linear irrigation systems and modern planting and harvesting equipment, conducting agronomic and plant pathology research on cereal, pulse, and oilseed crops. This position is to support the field, greenhouse, and lab research activities for cereal variety trials and other projects as needed.

Position Number

Position Number 4M0879

Department

Department AES EARC

Division

Division College of Agriculture/MAES

Appointment Type

Appointment Type Classified

Contract Term

Contract Term Fiscal Year

Semester

If other, specify From date

If other, specify End date

FLSA

FLSA Exempt

Union Affiliation

Union Affiliation FOCUS-MFPE

FTE

FTE 1.0

Benefits Eligible

Salary $20.00 per hour, commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications.

Contract Type

If other, please specify

Recruitment Type

Recruitment Type Open

General Statement

This position is under the supervision of the superintendent to support the variety testing team on the on- and off-station cereal and pulse variety trials and other duties as needed.

Duties and Responsibilities

Job duties include but not limit to:

Packaging and organizing seeds;
Planting field plots (driving tractor or operating planter);
Applying fertilizer and controlling weeds;
Collecting soil and plant samples;
Processing soil and plant samples in the lab;
Measuring grain quality parameters in the lab
Recording and entering data into a computer.
This person will also clean and maintain EARC ground and facilities and help in other projects as needed.

Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

High school diploma or B.S. in related fields.
Knowledge and experience in organizing field and greenhouse experiments.
Knowledge and experience in processing soil and plant samples in the lab.
Experience in using Microsoft Word and Excel.

Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

Knowledge in statistical analysis.
Experience in operating small farm equipment.

The Successful Candidate Will

Have great communication skills.
Work as part of a team.
Exercise initiative and independent judgement in day to day activities.
Have the ability to prioritize duties, and possess time management skills.

Position Special Requirements/Additional Information

Occasional in and out of state overnight travels are required. This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Physical Demands

Ability to work in Montana’s climate and field environment.
Occasional moving of seeds and samples in bags weighing up to 50 pounds, ability to tolerate dust, insects, fungus, stationary position for extended periods of time and excellent manual dexterity.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Number of Vacancies

Number of Vacancies 1

Desired Start Date

Position End Date (if temporary)

Open Date

Close Date

Applications will be:

Screening of applications will begin on October 13, 2026; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established.

Special Instructions

This position is not eligible for new sponsorship.

EEO Statement

Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.

In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference, please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.

Required Documents