Part-Time Forage Crop Systems Research Assistant

The Pennsylvania State University•University Park, FL

18d•Onsite

About The Position

The Forage Crop Systems Laboratory seeks an hourly-waged part-time research assistant within the Department of Plant Science at The Pennsylvania State University. Typical duties for a research assistant will include compiling research data, screening data quality, conducting preliminary analysis, conducting a literature review, and writing manuscripts. The research assistant will focus on the Stubble Height project conclusion with one journal article published under the leadership of Guojie Wang, the Principal Investigator, in the Forage Crop Systems Laboratory. Upon completion of the Stubble Height project, the research assistant will focus on historical data from all forage variety trials at Penn State, work on data requisition and visualization, and publish several extension fact sheets as outcomes. While working on the publications, the research assistant will also assist Guojie Wang with the NESARE funding application by organizing brainstorming meetings, project planning, and proposal construction. The publication and funding application will take approximately 15 hours per week. The research assistant will support the implementation of agronomic and ecological field experiments on perennial forage crops and annual cover crops. The research assistant is expected to ensure the safe operation of specialized equipment, collect data by measurement, sampling, and subjective assessments to evaluate forage crops, and prepare plant tissue and soil samples for lab analysis. The fieldwork will take approximately 5 hours per week. Applicants with a master’s degree in agronomy, animal science, plant science, soil science, biology, agriculture, bioengineering, biotechnology, microbiology, or a related field are encouraged to apply. Experience with farm equipment and fieldwork is desired. The successful candidate will work up to 20 hours/week, starting on November 1, 2025, or at a later date. The work location is at Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center in Rock Springs, central PA, and University Park, PA; relocation and housing are not provided. The candidate selected may be subject to a government security investigation. Interested applicants should submit (a) a letter outlining their interest in and fit for the position, (b) a CV, and (c) contact information for three references to the PSU career website. Please contact Dr. Guojie Wang at [email protected] with any questions.

Requirements

Applicants with a master’s degree in agronomy, animal science, plant science, soil science, biology, agriculture, bioengineering, biotechnology, microbiology, or a related field are encouraged to apply
A valid driver’s license and successful completion of a motor vehicle records check will be required in addition to standard background checks
Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies

Nice To Haves

Experience with farm equipment and fieldwork is desired

Responsibilities

Compiling research data
Screening data quality
Conducting preliminary analysis
Conducting a literature review
Writing manuscripts
Focus on the Stubble Height project conclusion with one journal article published
Focus on historical data from all forage variety trials at Penn State, work on data requisition and visualization, and publish several extension fact sheets as outcomes
Assist with the NESARE funding application by organizing brainstorming meetings, project planning, and proposal construction
Support the implementation of agronomic and ecological field experiments on perennial forage crops and annual cover crops
Ensure the safe operation of specialized equipment
Collect data by measurement, sampling, and subjective assessments to evaluate forage crops
Prepare plant tissue and soil samples for lab analysis