Research Lead Technician - Hydrology and Water Quality

The Ohio State University • Columbus, OH

4d • Onsite

About The Position

A Research Lead Technician position is available immediately in the Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering (FABE) in the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) at The Ohio State University (OSU). This position is critical to CFAES’s research and Extension mission. The work aligns with the CFAES mission to sustain life by protecting waters and ensuring sustainable food production in the region. We seek to hire a motivated individual to support field, laboratory, and data synthesis research focused on hydrology and water quality in Ohio’s agricultural and urban landscapes. The individual will assist with tasks critical to carrying out research and education for funded projects, the Overholt Drainage Education and Research Program, the International Drainage Hall of Fame, and the International Program on Water Management in Agriculture. The position will contribute to ongoing research and outreach projects funded through several federal, state, and non-governmental sources.

Requirements

• 5 years of relevant experience required with High School diploma or GED, 3 years of relevant experience required with associate's degree, or 1 years of relevant experience required with bachelor's degree.
• A bachelor’s degree in science or engineering or equivalent experience
• 1 year of experience working on private or cooperative farms, on-farm agricultural research, water/wastewater-related monitoring programs through agencies or private industry, or any related fields that involve installation, use, and maintenance of soil/water monitoring equipment
• Experience operating power tools and construction equipment.
• Basic knowledge of electrical systems and how to use a multi-meter.
• Ability to lift 50 lbs.
• Ability to travel to remote field sites and work in inclement weather (rain, snow, etc.).

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree or specialization in Hydrology, Environmental Sciences, Agricultural, Civil, or Environmental Engineering, Agricultural or Environmental Sciences, or another related field
• 2-5 years of experience in related field
• Technical experience working with hydrology/water quality field research - either climate monitoring and environmental data acquisition (e.g., use of Campbell Scientific data loggers) or hydrology and aquatic sensors (e.g., use of ISCO samplers, Flow measurement devices, YSI sondes).
• Practical knowledge of Ohio agriculture and agricultural practices.
• Familiarity with metadata standards and hydrologic data repositories.
• Experience in fieldwork and environmental measurements.
• Supervision experience and proven leadership/training experience of at least 3 months.
• Strong motivation and independence with excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Experience of setting up, troubleshooting, and installing hydrologic monitoring instruments including ISCO6712 samplers, water level loggers, AV sensors, soil moisture sensors, and portable weather stations
• Operating agricultural and construction equipment.
• Knowledge of load securement and comfort with driving large truck and trailer with equipment (no CDL needed)
• Prior experience with health and safety training and ability to train others
• Ability to use ArcGIS, MATLAB, Python, R, MS Excel, or other software for data processing.
• Ability to create maps using ArcGIS or other GIS software.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and lead tasks related to collecting soil and water samples and maintaining monitoring equipment at fields sites near campus and other research locations in Ohio.
• Coordinate the shared usage of the vehicles and be responsible for upkeep and maintenance of at least one program vehicle with assistance from other research staff.
• Coordinate and lead the upkeep and maintenance of all research spaces, laboratory, and research equipment/instrument inventory.
• Help analyze soil and water samples in laboratories using analytical techniques and instruments.
• Help organize outreach events and meetings such as the Overholt Drainage School – with tasks such as registration, catering management, lodging for key personnel, transportation, communications, designing promotional material, event surveys and evaluations. Similar tasks may need to be carried out for other training programs, international delegation visits, and exchange scholar visits.
• Assist in research-related tasks such as data collection, software-based analysis and modeling, data corrections, data processing, report writing.
• Data management, archival and QA-QC is extremely important, and this position will be primarily responsible for ensuring the same with assistance from lower level research staff.
• Supervise undergraduate student research assistants, lower level technicians, and similar staff from within the AgWater team.
• Provide appropriate training to new team members, ensuring training/safety compliance, and task assignments.
• Coordinating the hiring process for undergraduate student researchers and field research related staff positions.
• Design and develop hydrology and water quality monitoring instrumentation solutions appropriate for specific field sites and project goals.
• Provide coordination, training, and leadership to a team of research staff, undergraduate and graduate students, visiting scholars that are involved in different field and laboratory research projects.
• Visit field sites and collect weekly or bi-weekly water samples, trouble-shooting and fixing issues associated with monitoring equipment.
• Plan field site visits, coordinate task assignments to other team members, and ensure the safety and compliance of all personnel.
• Conduct purchasing and procurement to obtain quotations/bids and secure purchases. This will involve fiscal reporting responsibilities and managing and maintaining an university-issued purchasing card.
• Help with the assembly and installation of field instrumentation for both short- and long-term observational studies.
• Ensure existing health and safety protocols and assist in developing new standard operating procedures for ensuring data quality, availability, and security.
• Carry out routine maintenance and calibration of climate and aquatic sensors according to standard operating procedures, periodic re-calibration of rating curves at surface water locations, and collect and prepare snow and water samples for biogeochemical analyses.
• Anticipate and provides solutions to non- routine issues.
• Provide logistical support to organize outreach and Extension events and stakeholder meetings.

Benefits

• Medical, dental and vision coverage, with Ohio State paying a significant portion of the cost.
• Paid time off, including sick and vacation time and 11 holidays.
• State retirement plan or an alternative retirement plan, both with generous employer contributions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED