Research Technician – full time
General Description:
Day to day activities will vary depending on the specific field trial program requirements and the time of year. During the growing season, the applicant will assist with the preparation and execution of field operations and data collection activities of IHARFs applied research and demonstration program. At times, the successful applicant will be required to undertake such activities independently or lead and work with summer staff. Through later fall and winter, time will be spent cleaning and processing harvest samples, data entry, and preparation for the upcoming season. Depending on the applicants skills and needs of IHARF, time may also be allocated to assisting with preparation of extension materials such as fact sheets and project summaries.
Specific Duties:
- Assist with field-trial site preparation such as measuring and flagging trial sites, labelling tests and plots, and mapping study areas with GPS equipment.
- Assist with sourcing and acquiring various crop inputs as required.
- Calibrating various crop inputs through field equipment.
- Assist with small-plot seeding operations including operation, calibration and basic daily maintenance of field equipment.
- Assist with small-plot and trial site spraying operations for the purposes of both general crop maintenance and treatment applications. Equipment operation will include both hand-booms and a field sprayer depending on the specific task. Appropriate guidance and training will be provided.
- Assist with all aspects of small-plot harvest activities. This will include daily maintenance and operation of harvest equipment, or other miscellaneous tasks such as bagging, gathering, transporting and organizing harvest samples or bulk grain.
- Assist with miscellaneous field operations such as fertilizer and herbicide applications and basic trial site maintenance during the late spring and summer months.
- Assist with data collection activities including soil sampling, plant emergence counts, dry matter collections, and miscellaneous notes (days to emergence, flowering, maturity, etc.).
- Assist with sample (soil, plant, grain) processing activities as required.
- Miscellaneous grain handling activities such as operating augers, conveyors, pneumatic grain handling equipment and grain trucks.
- Miscellaneous office related tasks.
- Assist with preparing for extension events (field days, tours, seminars) as required.
Required Skills / Experience
- Basic knowledge of western Canadian agricultural production practices, field crops, and agronomy.
- Experience operating field equipment including small tractors, field sprayers and combines.
- Possession of a valid drivers licence.
- Ability to pass a Government of Canada reliability status.
- Possession of a Pesticide Applicators Licence or ability to obtain one.
- Ability and willingness to work overtime and weekends.
- Ability and willingness to work under variable weather conditions.
- Ability and willingness to perform physical demanding work including moderate to heavy manual labour requiring bending and lifting heavy objects (up to 25kg).
- Ability and willingness to control allergies, through the use of personal protective equipment and/or medication as this must not impinge upon the duties to be performed.
Desired Skills / Experience
- Agricultural post secondary education.
- Basic computer/office and organization skills along with good record keeping capabilities.
- Grain handling and/or lab experience (grain cleaning, grading, etc).
- Writing skills and background knowledge required to assist in creating extension materials (summarize existing reports).
Application Procedure
- Email applications to: info@iharf.ca
- Cover letter
- Resume
- References
- For more information phone: 1 (306) 695-4200
- Application deadline: March 31, 2019