Junior Specialist in Climate Smart Agriculture

The VISTA⠀Farms-Food-Future⠀(F3)⠀Innovation⠀team and⠀the⠀Experimental⠀Smart Farm⠀(ESF) are⠀seeking⠀qualified⠀candidates⠀to fill⠀one or⠀more⠀positions⠀as a⠀Junior⠀Specialist⠀in climate⠀smart⠀agricultural⠀research.⠀In the⠀role of⠀F3-ESF⠀Junior⠀Specialist,⠀you will⠀be⠀actively⠀involved⠀in the⠀entire⠀research⠀process in⠀our⠀experimental⠀smart farm⠀and the⠀Farms-Food-Future⠀Innovation⠀program,⠀and in the⠀development⠀of UC⠀Merced as⠀an⠀Agricultural⠀Experiment⠀Station.⠀Key⠀responsibilities⠀include⠀but are⠀not⠀limited to⠀assisting⠀with the⠀design,⠀planning,⠀and⠀execution⠀of applied⠀agricultural⠀research⠀studies⠀needed to⠀build the⠀ESF. You⠀may be⠀expected⠀to⠀collect,⠀manage,⠀and⠀analyze⠀data⠀derived⠀from the⠀application⠀of various⠀smart⠀farming⠀technologies,⠀as well as⠀coordinating⠀and⠀performing⠀routine⠀maintenance⠀and⠀troubleshooting⠀tasks for⠀our⠀state-of-the-art⠀farming⠀equipment.⠀Filled⠀positions⠀will span⠀both⠀laboratory⠀and field⠀settings,⠀including⠀time⠀sensitive⠀fieldwork⠀activities,⠀such as⠀planting⠀and⠀harvesting,⠀composting,⠀irrigation⠀management,⠀safe⠀tractor⠀operations⠀(e.g.,⠀skid⠀steer,⠀front-end⠀loaders,⠀forklifts),⠀and minor⠀equipment⠀repairs.⠀Laboratory⠀activities⠀will⠀include,⠀but not be⠀limited to⠀data⠀systems⠀administration,⠀geospatial⠀analysis⠀(GIS⠀and/or⠀remote⠀sensing),⠀and⠀processing⠀of field⠀data.⠀Clear and⠀effective⠀communications⠀from⠀research⠀findings,⠀both⠀through⠀written⠀reports⠀and oral⠀presentations,⠀are a key⠀part of⠀the⠀position⠀as it will⠀require⠀working in⠀close⠀collaboration⠀with⠀senior⠀researchers,⠀faculty,⠀and other⠀relevant⠀community⠀advisors.⠀Compliance⠀with all⠀safety and⠀ethical⠀standards⠀is⠀mandatory.⠀Alternate⠀work⠀schedule,⠀extended⠀days,⠀occasional⠀weekends,⠀and⠀occasional⠀travel are⠀required.⠀This is an⠀exempt⠀position.

• Bachelor’s⠀degree in⠀Agriculture,⠀Computer⠀Science,⠀Environmental⠀Science,⠀Agricultural⠀Engineering,⠀Environmental⠀Engineering,⠀or a⠀related⠀field
• Strong⠀organizational⠀and⠀problem-solving⠀skills⠀with⠀excellent⠀attention⠀to detail⠀and⠀contribute⠀to⠀innovative⠀solutions⠀to complex⠀research⠀challenges
• Demonstrated⠀excellence⠀in⠀written,⠀verbal,⠀and visual⠀communication⠀skills for⠀reporting⠀research⠀findings⠀and⠀recommendations
• Ability⠀to work⠀independently⠀on⠀assigned⠀tasks and⠀activities,⠀as well as⠀with other⠀team⠀members
• Ability⠀to use⠀digital⠀tools, not⠀limited to⠀Microsoft⠀products⠀(Word,⠀Excel)
• Ability⠀to work⠀and use⠀sound⠀judgement⠀in outdoor⠀work⠀environments⠀under⠀difficult⠀environmental⠀conditions,⠀such as⠀heat and⠀cold
• Ability⠀to obtain⠀and⠀maintain a⠀California⠀Driver’s⠀License
• Ability⠀to obtain⠀and⠀maintain⠀successful⠀training⠀in safe⠀tractor⠀and drone⠀operations

• At least⠀1-2 years⠀of⠀experience⠀conducting⠀or⠀participating⠀in applied⠀agricultural⠀research,⠀preferably⠀in a smart⠀farm⠀environment.
• Experience⠀working in⠀a farming⠀environment,⠀including⠀safe⠀operation⠀of⠀machinery.
• Experience⠀using⠀various⠀farming⠀technologies,⠀such as⠀drones,⠀sensors,⠀and⠀automation⠀systems,⠀to collect⠀and⠀analyze⠀data.
• Knowledge⠀of modern⠀farming⠀practices⠀and⠀principles,⠀including⠀regenerative⠀and/or⠀sustainable⠀agriculture.
• Experience⠀in⠀conducting⠀fieldwork,⠀such as⠀soil⠀sampling,⠀plant⠀pathology,⠀crop⠀science,⠀or animal⠀agriculture.
• Familiarity⠀with⠀geospatial,⠀IoT and AI⠀technologies⠀used in⠀precision⠀agriculture,⠀and⠀applied⠀statistics.
• Knowledge⠀of one or⠀more⠀programming⠀languages,⠀such as⠀Python

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

• Cover Letter

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