Senior Spray Technology Engineer

Iowa State University; Ames (IA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement benefits

Paid vacation and holidays

Onsite childcare (Ames, IA)

Life insurance

Job summary

Iowa State University’s Digital Ag Innovation Lab seeks a Senior Spray Technology Engineer to lead sponsored research on agricultural application systems. You will guide hands-on engineering, field validation, and industry collaboration to move ideas from concept to field deployment.

The role emphasizes multidisciplinary teamwork, advanced spray technology, and practical agronomic outcomes, with opportunities to mentor students and engineers while advancing sponsor projects.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree and 5 years of related experience.
• Advanced degree preferred for higher impact in research leadership.
• Experience with agricultural application equipment and spray systems.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical leadership for sponsored research projects and coordinate cross-functional teams.
• Lead design, integration, testing, and validation of liquid and dry application systems in lab and field.
• Evaluate system performance using sensors, nozzles, pumps, and PWM technologies to improve agronomic outcomes.
• Collaborate with sponsors to define requirements and deliver project objectives.
• Prepare technical reports and project recommendations; support proposals and future research opportunities.
• Mentor engineers, technicians, and students to promote best practices.

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

Engineering design

Field validation

Project coordination

Troubleshooting

Education

Advanced degree in Agricultural Engineering or related field

Tools

Spray systems

Pumps

Flow control (PWM)

Job description

Position Title

Senior Spray Technology Engineer

Job Group

Professional & Scientific

Required Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree and 5 years of related experience

Job Description

Build the Future of Agriculture

If you want your work to move beyond the lab—from concept to prototype to real-world field deployment—while solving complex engineering challenges alongside leading agricultural innovators, this is the role for you.

Who We Are

The Digital Ag Innovation Lab at Iowa State University partners with leading agricultural companies to design, build, and deploy next-generation technologies for agriculture.

Our team works at the intersection of applied engineering, industry collaboration, and the land-grant mission, moving ideas from concept to prototype to field deployment.

Our vision is bold: to be the premiere thought leader and partner in ag innovation.

Our mission guides everything we do: Innovate. Educate. Outreach.

We operate with four core values: Passion. Innovation. Collaboration. Excellence.

This is a place for builders, problem-solvers, and systems thinkers who want their work to move from idea → prototype → field → industry adoption.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a Senior Spray Technology Engineer to lead the technical execution of sponsored research and development projects focused on agricultural application systems.

This role combines hands on engineering, field validation, project leadership, and industry collaboration to deliver innovative technologies from concept through field deployment.

This is a highly technical, hands-on position for an engineer who enjoys solving complex problems, working directly with agricultural equipment, and leading multidisciplinary project teams.

You will collaborate with industry sponsors, researchers, engineers, and students to develop practical solutions that improve application accuracy, efficiency, and agronomic outcomes.

This position provides technical and project leadership without formal personnel management responsibilities, allowing the successful candidate to remain focused on engineering, field validation, and sponsor collaboration.

What You’ll Do

• Provide technical leadership for sponsored research projects by coordinating cross-functional teams, guiding engineering decisions, and ensuring successful project execution without formal supervisory responsibility.
• Lead the design, integration, testing, troubleshooting, and validation of liquid and dry application systems across laboratory and field environments, including ground and aerial platforms.
• Evaluate application technologies and system performance, including spray nozzles, pumps, flow control, PWM technologies, sensors, and other application hardware, using engineering and field data to improve agronomic outcomes.
• Collaborate with industry sponsors and project teams to define technical requirements, communicate progress, coordinate engineering, agronomy, technicians, and students, and deliver project objectives.
• Prepare technical reports, presentations, testing documentation, and project recommendations while supporting proposal development and identifying future research opportunities.
• Mentor engineers, technicians, and students by providing technical guidance, fostering collaboration, and promoting engineering best practices.

What You Bring

• Experience designing, developing, testing, or validating agricultural application equipment, spray systems, precision agriculture technologies, or related agricultural equipment.
• Strong mechanical and systems engineering skills, with the ability to troubleshoot complex equipment and evaluate system performance.
• Experience planning and executing laboratory, field, or product validation testing and translating engineering results into agronomic outcomes and customer value.
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex technical projects involving multiple stakeholders and collaborate effectively with industry sponsors, researchers, and multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to independently manage multiple technical projects while maintaining high standards of safety and quality.

Technology & Systems

• Spray systems, nozzles, pumps, and flow control (including PWM)
• Targeted and variable-rate application technologies
• Drone and aerial application systems
• Lab and field-testing platforms
• Agricultural equipment and precision application systems

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in Agricultural Engineering, Agronomy, or a related field, or equivalent industry experience.
• Experience with agricultural application systems through product development, field engineering, technical service, product support, or related roles within agriculture, OEMs, or ag input companies.
• Experience planning and conducting field trials, performance testing, and validation programs while translating engineering performance into agronomic outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to define technical requirements, lead cross-functional technical projects, and mentor engineers, technicians, or project teams.

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship. Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position.

Contract & Location Details

The candidate will be hired as an R&D Engineer III.

Appointment Type: Regular with Term Appointment (Fixed Term)

Proposed End Date or Length of Term: November1,2029

Number of Months Employed Per Year: 12

Month Work Period Time Type: Full time

Pay Grade: PS812

Benefits

Iowa State Employees enjoy comprehensive health and work-life benefits, including medical and dental, as well as:

• Retirement benefits including defined benefit and defined contribution plans
• Generous vacation, holiday, and sick time and leave plans
• Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa)
• Life insurance and long-term disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Various voluntary benefits and discounts
• Employee Assistance Program Wellbeing program

Equal Opportunity

Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. Veteran. Inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies may be directed to Office of Equal Opportunity, 2680 Beardshear Hall, 515 Morrill Road, Ames, Iowa50011, Tel.[phone], [e-mail].

All offers of employment, oral and written, are contingent upon the university’s verification of credentials and other information required by federal and state law, ISU policies/procedures, and may include the completion of a background check and/or a consumer credit check.

Iowa State University provides reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should email [e-mail] or call [phone] or Toll-Free: [phone]. TTY users are welcome to use the Iowa Relay Service number by dialing 7-1-1 or [phone].