Student Researcher Mushroom Cultivation (Piovesan)

Gannon University; Erie (Erie County); On-site; USD 31,000 - 36,000; Part time

Job summary

Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania invites applications for a Student Researcher Mushroom Cultivation (Piovesan) to join a Pennsylvania Manufacturing Innovation-funded project. The role involves hands-on lab work, experimental design, data analysis, and potential contributions to patentable innovations.

Responsibilities include fungal culture work, evaluating container reflectivity effects on growth, sterilization tests, safety testing, and documentation.

Qualifications

• Interest in sustainable agriculture or materials research.
• Willingness to work in lab environments, including microbiology and mechanical testing labs.

Responsibilities

• Assist in selection and preparation of fungal cultures.
• Document and analyze the effect of container reflectivity on mushroom growth and yield.
• Sterilization and durability studies including UVC exposure and material integrity checks.
• Support testing of harvested mushrooms for chemical safety (GC/LC-MS, ICP-MS).
• Maintain detailed lab notebooks and contribute to progress reports.
• Present findings at internal research meetings.

Skills

Sustainable agriculture

Lab work

Data analysis

Education

Undergraduate student in STEM

Tools

GC/LC-MS

ICP-MS

Spectrometry

Job description

Student Researcher Mushroom Cultivation (Piovesan)

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

If you have any questions about this position, please contact Dr. Davide Piovesan at [e-mail].

Position Summary

Position Title

Position Title Student Researcher Mushroom Cultivation (Piovesan)

Posting Number

Division

Division School of Engineering and Computing

Department

Department Col. of Engineering & Business

Location

Location Erie, Pa

Position Summary

As a research assistant on this Pennsylvania Manufacturing Innovation-funded project, you will collaborate in the development of innovative, light-reflective carbon foam containers for optimized mushroom cultivation. This interdisciplinary role involves hands‑on laboratory work, experimental design, data analysis, and potential contributions to patentable innovations. The position offers opportunities to gain experience in sustainable agriculture, materials science, food safety testing, and industrial product development.Career Readiness Learning Objectives: Critical Thinking- The student workers will gather and analyze the information from the literature and identify the proper solution to the existing problems. It is expected that the student workers will summarize and interpret experimental data, and also prioritize the action steps. Communication- The student workers are expected to improve writing skills by drafting project reports and/or manuscripts for submission to peer‑reviewed journals. The students are also expected to attend workshops or conferences to present their results, which can further strengthen their communication skills.

The GA position will be expected to present the findings for their work at Celebrate Gannon in Spring 2026.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist in the selection and preparation of fungal cultures (e.g., Pleurotus ostreatus, Ganoderma, Trametes).
• Document and analyze the effect of container reflectivity on mushroom growth and yield.
• Sterilization and Durability Studies
  • Participate in UVC sterilization experiments and evaluate material integrity post‑exposure.
  • Track container performance over multiple growth cycles and harvests.
• Regulatory and Safety Testing
  • Support testing of harvested mushrooms for chemical safety (GC/LC-MS, ICP -MS analysis).
  • Ensure compliance of materials with food‑grade and cultivation regulations.
• Documentation and Reporting
  • Maintain detailed lab notebooks and contribute to progress reports.
  • Present findings at internal research meetings, and optionally, at external conferences.
• Gain applied research experience in agritech and sustainable materials.
• Develop skills that translate into careers in biotech, food science, and engineering industries.
• Contribute to publications, presentations, and potentially intellectual property filings.

Required Qualifications

• Interest in sustainable agriculture or materials research.
• Willingness to work in lab environments, including microbiology and mechanical testing labs.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with microbiological techniques, spectrometry, or material testing equipment.
• Strong organizational and documentation skills.

Physical Demands

This position requires minimal physical demands, but applicants should be able to safely lift 50 pounds and sit and/or stand for extended periods.

Number of Vacancies

Number of Vacancies 3

Job Posting Open Date

Job Posting Open Date 10/08/2026

Job Posting Close Date

Job Posting Close Date 12/08/2026

Special Instructions to Applicants

If you have any questions about this position, please contact Dr. Davide Piovesan at [e-mail].

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Required Documents

• Resume

Optional Documents

Erie, Pennsylvania Campus
109 University Square
Erie, Pennsylvania 16541
1-800-GANNON-U or 814-871-7000

Ruskin, Florida Campus
105 Commercial Center Dr.
Ruskin, Florida 33573
1-800-GANNON-U or 814-871-7000