Student - Work Study - Part-Time Research Assistant - Grab Lab

The Pennsylvania State University; University Park (PA, TX); On-site; USD 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking undergraduate research assistants to join their innovative team in the Entomology department. This role offers a unique opportunity to engage in hands-on research focusing on the ecology of insects within agricultural systems. As part of a collaborative environment, you'll work closely with graduate students and senior researchers, gaining valuable experience in experimental design and data analysis. Successful candidates will have the chance to develop their own research projects, contributing to impactful studies that advance our understanding of pest management and pollination. Join us in making a difference in sustainable agriculture!

Qualifications

• Assist in research on insect ecology in agricultural systems.
• Collaborate with graduate students on experimental protocols.

Responsibilities

• Care for plants and insect colonies.
• Collect and analyze data using R.
• Present research findings to various audiences.

Skills

Data Analysis in R

Experimental Design

Data Collection

Communication Skills

Education

Undergraduate Student

Tools

R Software

Job description

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click "Apply" and complete the application process for external applicants.

JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS:

The Grab Lab in the department of Entomology is looking for undergraduate research assistants to help us conduct studies on the ecology of insects in agricultural systems. Projects in the lab include examining the combined impact of pesticides and heat stress on buzz pollination, investigating ecologically based pest management strategies for vegetable crops and developing smart traps for monitoring and mapping sweet corn pests. Undergraduate research assistants will work directly with graduate students and senior researchers. Students who working successfully in the lab will have opportunities to design their own research projects.

Duties and responsibilities

• Care for plants and insect colonies
• Collaboratively design experimental protocols
• Collect and curate data
• Learn data analysis techniques in R and conduct analyses
• Share results of research work with the public, scientific and stakeholder audiences through presentations, written and online communications
  

Start Date: May 12, 2025

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Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

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Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.

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