Soil & Water Field Research Associate (2-Year Term)

Central State; United States; On-site; USD 50,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

The Agriculture and Natural Resources Information and Management (ANRIM) lab at Central State University seeks two Research Associates to work on soil and water conservation projects. You will perform field and lab work, data management, and contribute to reports and manuscripts.

Responsibilities include travel to field sites, lab analysis, data entry, and mentoring undergraduates. Candidates should have a Master’s degree and willingness to learn protocols and collaborate with a team.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in agriculture, Environmental Science, or another related field
• Willingness and ability to perform physically demanding fieldwork in varying outdoor conditions
• Basic computer skills, including familiarity with spreadsheet and data management software
• Ability to work both independently and collaboratively as part of a research team
• Strong attention to detail and record-keeping skills

Responsibilities

• Travel to field sites to collect soil, water, and plant samples using standard and project-specific protocols
• Set up, calibrate, and maintain field instrumentation and monitoring equipment (e.g., soil moisture sensors, water samplers, flow meters)
• Record field data accurately, including GPS coordinates, site conditions, and sample metadata
• Assist with the establishment and upkeep of field plots and research sites
• Support soil and water conservation practice installation, monitoring, and assessment activities
• Follow safety protocols for fieldwork under varying weather and site conditions
• Process, prepare, and analyze soil, water, and plant samples following established laboratory protocols
• Assist with calibration and preventative maintenance of laboratory equipment and instrumentation
• Help develop and follow standard operating procedures for sample analysis
• Enter, organize, and quality-check data generated from field and laboratory work
• Maintain accurate laboratory notebooks and sample inventories/chain-of-custody records
• Assist with data synthesis, summary statistics, and preparation of figures and tables for reports and manuscripts
• Assist the supervisor with report preparation, data analysis, and manuscript writing
• Mentor and assist in supervising undergraduate research assistants
• Attend lab meetings and, as opportunities allow, regional or national conferences
• Other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the supervisor

Skills

Fieldwork

Lab work

Data management

Team collaboration

Attention to detail

Education

Master's degree

Tools

ICP-OES

ICP-MS

CN Analyzer

IRMS

Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry

HPLC

GC-MS

GIS

Job description

The Agriculture and Natural Resources Information and Management (ANRIM) lab at Central State University seeks two Research Associates to work on soil and water conservation projects. You will perform field and lab work, data management, and contribute to reports and manuscripts.

Responsibilities include travel to field sites, lab analysis, data entry, and mentoring undergraduates. Candidates should have a Master’s degree and willingness to learn protocols and collaborate with a team.