Scientific Research Specialist CL2

at  University of Maine

This position provides essential staffing needed conduct grant-funded, potato research at Aroostook Research Farm in Presque Isle. The Scientific Research Specialist CL2 will need to operate, calibrate, and maintain field and harvest equipment, trucks, and specialized research equipment to meet this need. The specialist will also prepare seed potatoes for planting, assist in field, greenhouse, and laboratory research activities and data collection, grade potatoes and conduct potato quality evaluations. A small portion of the specialist’s time will be spent helping the research farm staff with general farm duties including mowing fields and clearing snow at the facility. Full-time, regular, on-site position, 40 hours per week, 5 days per week. Normal daily work hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This position pays $19.59/hour, or applicable transfer rate in accordance with the ACSUM collective bargaining agreement.

• Operates, maintains, and repairs field and harvest equipment, trucks, and specialized research equipment.
• Applies agricultural chemicals to research plots.
• Inventories agricultural pesticides and organizes/maintains pesticide storage area.
• Prepares research fields for winter by picking rocks with a mechanical rock picker, etc.
• Prepares field and research equipment for growing season use and for winter storage.
• Helps prepare greenhouse spaces for growing season use and for winter.
• Prepares seed potatoes for planting,
• Assists in field, greenhouse, and laboratory research activities and data collection.
• Conducts yield and quality evaluations of research potato samples.
• Monitors and maintains controlled environment potato storage lockers.
• Collects samples and data from research plots.
• Provides supervision of research staff when the Assistant Scientist is not available.
• Helps the research farm staff with general farm duties including mowing fields and clearing snow at the facility as long as these tasks do not disrupt timely completion of priority research tasks. These general farm duties are done under the supervision of the Farm Superintendent.Preforms other reasonably related duties as assigned.