Research Associate Malt Quality Lab

Montana State University - Office of Student Engagement; Bozeman (MT); On-site; USD 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Montana State University’s Barley, Malt & Brewing Quality Lab seeks a Research Associate to support daily malt quality measurements for the Breeding Program, stakeholders, and student projects. Join a fast-paced team with strong attention to detail and clear communication.

The successful candidate will work in a lab serving the malting and brewing industries, providing data to farmers, maltsters, and beverage producers while maintaining rigorous QC logs and safety protocols.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s in plant science, food or malt quality analysis, chemical analysis or related field, or equivalent experience.
• Experience generating, managing & reporting data.
• Experience in lab environments requiring organization and time management.
• Laboratory research experience.

Responsibilities

• Sample intake, organization, and preparation.
• Barley & malt quality analysis, operating various equipment (NIR analyzer, CLP malters, etc).
• Data collection, organization, maintenance, analysis and reporting; upkeep of QC logs.
• Maintain laboratory cleanliness and maintenance.
• Support research including project development and supervising student projects.
• Contribute to and submit research publications.
• Uphold lab safety protocols.
• Interact with the public through lab tours and present findings at industry meetings.

Skills

Data generation & reporting

Lab organization & time management

Laboratory research experience

Attention to detail

Education

Bachelor's in plant science / related field

Master's in plant science / related field (preferred)

Tools

NIR analyzer

CLP malters

Bühler equipment

Perten mills

UV-Vis Spectrophotometer

Densitometer

Job description

Position Details

Position Information

Announcement Number STAFF - VA - 27113

For questions regarding this position, please contact:

Hannah Uhlmann

[e-mail]

406-994-6599

Classification Title Research Professional Working Title Research Associate Malt Quality Lab Brief Position Overview

This is a full-time professional position as a Research Associate for the Barley, Malt & Brewing Quality Lab, part of the Barley Breeding research project at MSU. Primary duties will be to aid in the daily measurement of malt quality for the Breeding Program, stakeholders, and student projects. Our lab plays a critical role for the malting and brewing/distilling industries, directly providing data to farmers, maltsters, and beverage producers. The successful applicant will integrate into a fast-paced team environment, have excellent attention to detail, organizational and communication skills.

Position Number 4C0675 Department Plant Sciences Division College of Agriculture/MAES Appointment Type Professional Contract Term Fiscal Year Semester If other, specify From date If other, specify End date FLSA Exempt Union Affiliation Exempt from Collective Bargaining FTE 1.0 Benefits Eligible Eligible Salary Salary commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications. Contract Type LOA If other, please specify Recruitment Type Open

Position Details

General Statement

The Department of Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology has 28 tenure track faculty including plant pathologists, plant breeders, plant physiologists, horticulturalists, entomologists, cereal chemists, and plant molecular biologists. The Department has state-of-the-art laboratory and plant growth facilities. Field research facilities are available both on campus and at seven MAES Research Centers located strategically throughout the state. The Department offers both MS and PhD degrees in Plant Pathology and Plant Science. There are currently 20 thesis MS graduate students and 30 Ph.D. graduate students and more than 150 undergraduate students in the Department.

https://plantsciences.montana.edu

Duties and Responsibilities

• Sample intake, organization, and preparation.
• Barley & malt quality analysis, including operation of various pieces of equipment, such as NIR analyzer, CLP malters, Buhler & Perten mills, Pfeuffer friabilimeter, IEC mash bath, Anton Paar densitometer, UV-Vis Spectrophotometer, and Fisher Scientific Gallery analyzer
• Data collection, organization, maintenance, analysis and reporting, including upkeep of Quality Control logs
• Maintain laboratory cleanliness and maintenance
• Support research, including project development and novel idea generation as well as supervising and empowering undergraduate and graduate research projects
• Contribute to and submit research publications
• Uphold lab safety protocols
• Interact with the public through lab tours and present findings at industry meetings and conferences

Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

• Bachelor’s in plant science, food or malt quality analysis, chemical analysis or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience generating, managing & reporting data.
• Experience in lab environments requiring organization and time management.
• Laboratory research experience.

Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

• Masters in plant science, food or malt quality analysis, chemical analysis or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Experience generating data specifically for malt or food industries.
• Agricultural experience.
• Experience with genetic markers.

The Successful Candidate Will

• Attention to detail.
• Work both independently and collaboratively with co-workers.
• Effective written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Organizational and time management skills.
• Flexibility adapting to evolving lab needs.
• Follow food safety and cleanliness requirements
• Follow all university rules and policies.
• Self-motivation for providing accurate and timely results for lab clientele.

Position Special Requirements/Additional Information

Generally, this position is a Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm schedule. However, our team maintains a rotating early shift (typically 7am-3pm) to accomplish the required daily work. Shifts longer than 8 hours are infrequent but sometimes necessary for task completion. Occasionally there may be a weekend task that needs covering, but we keep these brief and minimal.

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

• We keep our lab at a high level of cleanliness, however we do work with grain and dust in the air that can be bothersome to some.
• This position can be fast paced, and is often active for much of the day.

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.

This position has supervisory duties? No

Posting Detail Information

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 8, 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.

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

• Resume
• Cover Letter

Optional Documents

Supplemental Questions