Technician I: Vegetable Field Research Technician

Zymtronix Catalytic Systems Inc; New York (NY); On-site; USD 31,000 - 32,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care options

Retirement contributions

Wellness programs

Employee discounts

Job summary

Cornell Contract College is seeking a Technician I: Vegetable Field Research Technician in Albion, NY. You will assist Extension Specialists with field research on working farms across Western New York and help with outreach and data collection activities in outdoor trials.

The role requires a high school diploma, ability to work outdoors in varied weather, and lifting up to 50 pounds. On-site, full-time hours with occasional evenings and weekends; one-year appointment with potential extension.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent and related agricultural experience.
• Attention to detail, organization, and manual dexterity.
• Ability to work outdoors in varying weather and flexible hours.
• Proficiency with Windows, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

• Provide technical support for field research projects on working farms.
• Prepare materials, assist with trial setup, planting, and plot maintenance.
• Scout fields for pests, diseases, weeds, and abiotic injury; collect samples and document observations.
• Evaluate crop safety, quality, and treatment efficacy in plots and fields.
• Assist with harvesting, measuring yields, and transporting samples for analysis.
• Set up pest-monitoring traps and report findings to the coordinator.
• Enter and manage data using Excel and basic statistics software; create data tables and charts.
• Support outreach and educational programs in the region.

Skills

High school diploma

Detail oriented

Organizational skills

Outdoor work

Flexible hours

Windows & Office

Data collection & analysis

Communication skills

NY driver's license

Lift up to 50 lbs

Education

Associate’s degree coursework in relevant fields

Tools

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Job description

Technician I:Vegetable Field Research Technician

Technician I:Vegetable Field Research Technician

This position is located in Albion, New York and is not based on the Ithaca Main Campus.

The Opportunity

We are looking for someone who has an excellent work ethic, appreciates agriculture, and can work in commercial vegetable fields that have been sprayed with pesticides. As a Vegetable Field Research Technician (Technician I) with the Cornell Vegetable Program, you will assist Cornell’s top Extension Specialists in all aspects of field research projects conducted on working farms in the great outdoors throughout Western New York. Pesticides, varieties, and other crop management practices are vigorously tested to determine the best strategies for optimum weed, disease and insect pest control, crop quality and yield, which are also environmentally sound and cost-effective.

In addition, you will assist with educating New York vegetable growers on the latest research results and consequent crop management recommendations through diverse Extension and Outreach activities. Finally, you will keep your finger on the pulse of vegetable crop production through weekly crop scouting. Work may take place in pesticide-treated fields and requires adherence to Worker Protection Standards and other safety protocols. This position will feature muck-onion production, one of the state’s most exciting highest value and most intensive vegetable production systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical support to Extension Associates in conducting research projects that support the profitability and sustainability of the vegetable industry.
• Prepare materials for field research and assist with trial setup, crop planting, and plot maintenance.
• Scout commercial vegetable fields for pests, diseases, weeds, and abiotic injury; collect samples and relevant field information and document observations.
• Evaluate crop safety, quality, treatment efficacy, varieties, and crop damage in research plots and grower fields.
• Assist with crop harvesting, measuring, and recording yields, and transport samples to research or storage facilities for further analysis.
• Set up and maintain pest-monitoring traps in grower fields and report findings to the trap network coordinator.
• Enter and manage research data using Excel and other basic statistical software; prepare data tables, charts, and presentation materials.
• Support Cornell Vegetable Program outreach activities and educational programs throughout the region.

What We Need

• High school diploma and at least one year of experience in an agricultural setting, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Strong attention to detail, visual concentration, and manual dexterity.
• Possess excellent organizational experience.
• Ability to work outdoors in a variety of weather conditions.
• Willingness and ability to work flexible hours, including occasional evenings and weekends, as job responsibilities require.
• Experience using current computer technology, including Windows, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to work independently to collect, organize, and summarize data.
• Proven experience in communicating effectively, both written and oral.
• Ability to meet the travel requirements of the position, with reliable transportation and a valid, unrestricted New York State driver’s license, as well as clearance to drive for University business.
• Knowledge of prioritizing multiple activities and tasks while meeting established time frames.
• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to cultivate and maintain inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.

Additional Preferences

• Associate’s degree with coursework in vegetable production, entomology, plant pathology, weed science, horticulture, and/or agronomy.
• Experience assisting with research projects, including data collection, summarization, and statistical analysis.
• Experience working in agriculture and/or vegetable production.

This is a full-time position (39 hours per week) located in Albion, New York, and will be fully on-site five days per week. Core hours are Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with the final schedule established in collaboration with the supervisor. This is a one-year appointment, with the possibility of extension based on available work, funding, and satisfactory performance. Overtime (more than 40 hours per week), including occasional evenings, is common from June through September.

Rewards and Benefits

• Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, and sustainability.
• Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to get more information about our benefits: Understand Your Benefits | Working at Cornell.
• Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1. To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions we also offer two additional floating holidays. Learn more about our generous leave provisions: Holiday and Accrued Time Off | Working at Cornell.
• Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program. Learn more about our extensive educational benefits: Education Benefits | Working at Cornell.
• Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: Total Rewards | Working at Cornell.

Visa Sponsorship

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

University Job Title

Technician I

Job Family

Technical

Level

A

Pay Rate Type

Hourly

Pay Range

$22.70 - $23.56

Remote Option Availability

Onsite

Company

Contract College

Contact Name

Keionda Lewis

Contact Email

[e-mail]

About Us

Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars, students and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose and contribute creative ideas to further the university's mission of teaching, discovery and engagement. With our main campus located in Ithaca, NY, Cornell's far-flung global presence includes the medical college's campuses on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and Doha, Qatar, as well as the Cornell Tech campus located on Roosevelt Island in the heart of New York City.

We offer a rich array of services, programs and benefits to help employees advance in their career and enhance the quality of personal life, including: employee wellness, workshops, childcare and adoption assistance, parental leave, flexible work options.

EEO Statement

Cornell welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of “... any person ... any study.” No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Cornell University embraces diversity in its workforce and seeks job candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We hire based on merit, and encourage people from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. Consistent with federal law, Cornell engages in affirmative action in employment for qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans' Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.