Station Technician Champaign

KWS Cereals USA LLC.; Champaign (IL); On-site; USD 34,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension plan and 401(k) with employer

Flexible PTO

Professional training and development

Job summary

KWS Cereals USA LLC in Champaign, IL is seeking a Farming Technician to support wheat farming by creating or executing work plans for all trial and equipment maintenance activities. This permanent full-time position is based in Champaign, IL.

Essential duties include operating planting, tillage, and harvest equipment, assisting with maintenance and fabrication, using data collection software, and coordinating with seasonal staff. Travel and weekend/holiday coverage may be required.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of crop production, farming practices, and farm equipment operation and repair.
• Strong mechanical skills and the ability to work outdoors.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and be willing to obtain CDL.
• Forklift certification or ability to obtain forklift license.
• Pesticide applicator license or ability to obtain one.
• Basic computer skills including Excel, Word and PowerPoint.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and time management skills.
• Flexibility to work non-standard hours and rotate shifts.

Responsibilities

• Operate planting, tillage, and harvest equipment and proprietary hardware.
• Assist with equipment and vehicle maintenance including fabrication and repairs.
• Operate data collection software for trials and record keeping.
• Drive commercial vehicles and forklifts as required.
• Mix and apply pesticides; organize field site applications.
• Train seasonal workers and coordinate schedules.
• Ensure work plans meet due dates and safety policies.

Skills

Field knowledge

Outdoor work

Driver's license

CDL license

Forklift license

Pesticide license

Microsoft Office

Time management

Education

HS diploma or equivalent

BA/BS in Agriculture (preferred)

Tools

Proprietary software

Job description

Career Opportunities: Station Technician Champaign (16690)

Requisition ID16690-Posted07/29/2026-Champaign- Fields of Work (1) -Entry Level-Up to 10%

Field of Work:Breeding stations,
Location: Champaign
Legal Entity: [[division]]
Contract Type: Regular
Is Full Time: Yes
Job ID: 16690

Join our Champaign Agricultural Research team! KWS Cereals USAis looking for a Farming Technician who will support the wheat farming activities by creating or executing work plans for all aspects of trial andd equipment maintenance activities including all field and workshop dudties. This permanent position is a full time and located in Champaign, IL.

Essential job functions:

Operate planting, tillage, and harvest equipment including proprietary technology and hardware.

Assist with equipment and vehicle maintenance including fabrication and repairs. Including designing and fabricating unique machinery as needed.

Operate the required proprietary software for data collection and record keeping.

Operate commercial vehicles and forklifts.

Mix chemicals for pesticide applications. Organize, direct and apply pesticides to field sites as needed.

May utilize spreadsheets to analyze work plans and make recommendations.

Train and provide work direction to seasonal workers and coordinate schedules as needed.

Ensure work plans are executed according to due dates and deadlines to ensure successful completion of trials.

Ensure Company handbook, Rules, Guidelines and Procedures and safety policies are followed and personal protective equipment is used correctly.

Travel and/or drive on behalf of the business.

Meet attendance requirements.

Other duties as assigned.

Required qualifications:

• Knowledge of crop production, farming practices, and farm equipment operation and repair.
• Good mechanical skills.
• Ability to work outdoors.
• Ability to work non-standard hours when needed.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and be willing to obtain and maintain a CDL.
• Possess or be able to obtain and maintain a forklift driver’s license.
• Possess or be able to obtain and maintain a pesticide applicators license.
• Basic computer skills (Microsoft O4ce, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint).
• Strong organizational, communication, and time management skills.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally.
• HS diploma or equivalent.

Preferred qualifications:

• BA/BS in Agriculture or related degree.
• 2+ years of applicable work experience working in crop farming and/or field-based research environment.

Our offer:

• Competitive salary ($25.5 - $28 per hour) and bonus system
• Pension plan and 401(k) with employer match
• Flexible paid-time-off (PTO)
• Professional training and development opportunities

Must wear required PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) as needed. Able to work in varied environmental conditions (loud, hot, cold, dusty, damp, etc.), which will include outdoor work and exposure to different pollens. Flexibility to work rotating shifts as needed (including weekends, night shifts, and holidays). Ability to work individually and within a team setting. Travel as needed which may include overnights.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms and bend and twist. The employee must frequently lift and move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and move objects up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

About KWS

KWS is one of the world’s leading plant breeding companies. Nearly 5,000 employees in more than 70 countries generated net sales of around €1.68 billion in the fiscal year 2023/2024. A company with a tradition of family ownership, KWS has operated independently for almost 170 years. It focuses on plant breeding and the production and sale of seed for sugarbeet, corn, cereals, vegetables, oilseed rape and sunflower. KWS uses leading-edge plant breeding methods to continuously improve yield for farmers and plants’ resistance to diseases, pests and abiotic stress. To that end, the company invested more than €300 million last fiscal year in research and development. For more information: www.kws.com/career . Follow us on LinkedIn at https://linkedin.com/company/kwsgroup/ .

Our data privacy policy for candidates is available on www.kws.com/dataprotection . Please select the country where the job you applied for is posted in and, if applicable, the specific business unit.