Ag Research Technician

Position Information

Position Description & Details:

Assist in cattle/goat and grazing research being conducted at the Mandan USDA-ARS.

Perform animal care activities:

• Daily observation of livestock
• Daily feeding of livestock
• Breeding (potentially AI or natural service)
• Calving/kidding, calf/kid care, and management of replacement breeding animals (branding, vaccinations, treatments, etc.)
• Maintain regular communication with supervisors
• Follow IACUC and Hettinger REC standard operating procedures.

Perform farm activities:

• Assist in farming activities (haying, fixing fence, pasture and water maintenance, equipment maintenance and repair).
• Support cow/goat herd research, extension, and teaching efforts,
• Assist a multi-disciplinary team of animal, range, soil, wildlife, and social scientists in research, teaching, and extension.
• Assist and teach student employees in livestock care and handling.
• Follow IACUC protocols.
• Assist in data entry (computer based).

Responsibilities:

• Work safely and adhere to applicable rules and regulations related to animal care (IACUC rules)
• Follow guidelines set forth by the Safety Office
• Train and monitor employees to work in a safe manner
• Follow all IACUC guidelines and training
• Help identify unsafe working conditions
• Stop co-workers who are working in an unsafe manner
• Communicate with supervisor and center Director regarding any safety concerns, animal welfare issues, and other regulatory matters

Work Schedule:

Monday- Friday, A flexible schedule is a requisite in order to accommodate some weekends and holidays

Advertised Salary:

Commensurate with education and experience

Minimum Qualifications:

• Associate degree in Animal/Agriculture Science or related field.
• Computer literacy, written and verbal communication skills.
• Desire for involvement in cattle/goat research, management, and teaching activities.
• Ability to perform basic cattle husbandry tasks such as feeding, animal health, and calving
• Demonstrated ability to communicate appropriately and work willingly with staff and faculty on various tasks, and assist in the training and supervision of student employees
• Ability to accomplish vital tasks while working alone
• A flexible schedule is a requisite in order to accommodate some weekends and holidays
• Demonstrated ability to perform various duties that require heavy lifting (50 + lbs)
• Valid Driver's license

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science in Animal/Agriculture Science or related field
• Three year's work experience in livestock-related activities
• Demonstrated ability to operate farm equipment such as pickup trucks, livestock trailers, tractors, skid steer loaders, manure spreaders, feed wagons, and haying equipment
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to work as a member of a team as well as work alone

Applicant Materials Required:

Cover letter, resume and three professional referneces. Please provide details within cover letter of how each of the minimum and/or preferred qualifications have been met.

Benefits:

NDSU offers a comprehensive benefits package with includes single or family health insurance coverage with premiums paid for by the university - with an effective date for new employees the first of the month following date of hire. Other benefits include, wellness benefits, basic life insurance, retirement plan, tuition waiver, annual leave, EAP, sick leave and holiday pay. Optional benefits include supplemental life, dental, vision, long-term care insurance, flexible spending account, and supplemental retirement plans.

About Us

North Dakota State University is distinctive as a student focused, land-grant, research university. Our main campus is located in Fargo, ND with Extension Service and Research Experiment Station locations across the entire state. NDSU has been listed in the Top 100 public research universities in the United States for research and development in agricultural sciences, psychology and social sciences, based on reported research expenditures.

NDSU is an exciting place to work offering a stimulating and diverse environment richly populated with people pursuing life-long learning and personal growth. Employees often attend on-campus cultural events, lectures, athletic events and enjoy walks through our beautiful campus.

NDSU employs over 6000 full-time and part-time employees across the state, making it the second largest employer in the community. NDSU is the best college in ND, according to Money Magazine (September 2018). NDSU was named a 2019 Best Value College by Forbes. Fargo made Livability.com's top 10 list of cities to find a job and ranked at #11 for best places to live overall.

NDSU offers a wide array of professional opportunities including faculty, executive, managerial, professional, technical, paraprofessional, office support, servers and crafts/trades. Like a small city, NDSU operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Full time employees are offered a superb benefit package to include 100% company paid health insurance premiums and tuition assistance for employees and immediate family members. All of us at NDSU play an important role in serving our students and public constituencies. We encourage motivated and talented team members that thrive in a higher-ed environment to join our university!

Mission

With energy and momentum, North Dakota State University addresses the needs and aspirations of people in a changing world by building on our land-grant foundation.

Additional Information

No Smoking Notice:

As an employer, the State of North Dakota prohibits smoking in all places of state employment in accordance with N.D.C.C. § 23-12-10.

EO/AA Statement:

North Dakota State University is an Equal Opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, gender expression/identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, participation in lawful off-campus activity, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, public assistance status, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, spousal relationship to current employee, or veteran status, as applicable.

Veteran's Preference Notice:

This position is subject to North Dakota Veteran's Preference requirements.