CALS- Technician III- Horticulture Section- School of Integrative Plant Science (SIPS)

Cornell University • Ithaca, NY

5d • $24 - $27 • Onsite

About The Position

The Technician III will be part of the senior staff in the Field Crops Pathology program along with other technical staff and the PI. The Technician III will be mainly responsible for performing laboratory, greenhouse, growth chamber, and field research with diseases of field crops, particularly corn, soybean, small grains, and alfalfa. The position involves year round research activities and requires regular field work during the growing season. For laboratory activities, the Technician III will collaborate with lab personnel to obtain and maintain plant pathogen isolates, phenotype or genotype plant pathogens, and prepare and maintain inoculum as needed for experiments. The technician will routinely perform microbiological and molecular biology tasks as required for ongoing projects. For greenhouse and field activities, the Technician III will collaborate with greenhouse personnel, research farm staff, extension educators, grower cooperators, and private company cooperators to perform greenhouse and field experiments that evaluate disease development, host resistance, and disease management practices. Responsibilities include independently securing space for trials, planting, inoculating, rating disease, applying fungicides according to experimental protocols, maintaining application records, and harvesting plant material as needed. For all activities, the Technician III will collect and organize data, assist with data analysis, and contribute to preparation of reports and extension or research outputs. The technician will also assist with a range of tasks related to laboratory and field program management, including training and supervision of student employees, maintaining laboratory safety compliance, purchasing and inventory management, and routine maintenance of equipment. This is a full-time, nonexempt staff position that requires on-site presence and the ability to work independently across laboratory, greenhouse, and field environments. This is a full-time position at 97.5% FTE . This is a one-year term appointment that is contingent upon available work, funding, and performance. Relocation assistance will not be provided for this position. While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others. The Technician III works collaboratively with faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars, graduate students, undergraduate students, greenhouse managers, and research farm personnel to support laboratory, greenhouse, growth chamber, and field research activities. The position coordinates regularly with Cornell research farms and shared facilities to schedule space, maintain experimental timelines, and ensure proper care of plants and research materials. The technician also interacts with extension educators, growers, and external cooperators in support of applied research and extension activities. Successful performance in this position requires the ability to work independently while following established research protocols and safety procedures. The Technician III must maintain consistent attention to plant health, experimental detail, and data quality across laboratory, greenhouse, and field environments. Clear communication with supervisors, collaborators, and student employees is essential to ensure continuity of experiments and safe operation of research activities. The position requires reliability, organization, and the ability to manage multiple tasks across seasonal research demands.

Requirements

• Associate’s degree and up to 2 years of relevant experience or equivalent combination in plant biology, plant pathology, agronomy, crop science, or a related field.
• Prior experience working with plants and or plant pathogens in laboratory, greenhouse, or field settings, including routine plant care and handling of biological materials.
• Prior knowledge of laboratory, greenhouse, and field safety protocols, including proper handling and disposal of biological and chemical materials.
• Experience following established research protocols and maintaining accurate records for experiments and trials.
• Ability to work independently across laboratory, greenhouse, and field environments and manage multiple tasks across seasonal research demands.
• Experience with Microsoft office suite – including Word, PowerPoint and Excel and familiarity with google drive.
• Ability to communicate verbally and written with faculty, staff and students.
• Ability to perform physically demanding work, including lifting up to 50 pounds and working outdoors in variable weather conditions.
• Must have and maintain a valid and unrestricted NYS driver’s license and be cleared to drive for university business.
• Ability to perform physically demanding work, including lifting up to 50 pounds and working outdoors in variable weather conditions.
• Possession of a New York State certified commercial pesticide applicator technician license, or ability to obtain and maintain the license within a defined period after hire as a condition of continued employment.
• Experience working directly with people from various socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Experience incorporating the perspectives of multiple communities.
• Experience modeling values that support inclusion, belonging, and wellbeing.
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working with pathogens of field crops in laboratory greenhouse, and field settings.
• Experience applying fungicides for greenhouse or field experiments, including use of backpack or plot scale sprayers.
• Experience with ARM or similar software used to manage agricultural research experiments and field trials.
• Experience in data analysis using standard biological or agricultural research software.
• Experience with molecular biology techniques such as DNA extraction, PCR, and qPCR.
• Experience managing field trials, including planting, inoculating, rating disease, and harvesting plant material.
• Experience training and supervising other laboratory or field personnel.
• Experience working with growers, extension educators, and research cooperators.

Responsibilities

• Performing laboratory, greenhouse, growth chamber, and field research with diseases of field crops, particularly corn, soybean, small grains, and alfalfa.
• Collaborate with lab personnel to obtain and maintain plant pathogen isolates, phenotype or genotype plant pathogens, and prepare and maintain inoculum as needed for experiments.
• Routinely perform microbiological and molecular biology tasks as required for ongoing projects.
• Collaborate with greenhouse personnel, research farm staff, extension educators, grower cooperators, and private company cooperators to perform greenhouse and field experiments that evaluate disease development, host resistance, and disease management practices.
• Independently securing space for trials, planting, inoculating, rating disease, applying fungicides according to experimental protocols, maintaining application records, and harvesting plant material as needed.
• Collect and organize data, assist with data analysis, and contribute to preparation of reports and extension or research outputs.
• Assist with a range of tasks related to laboratory and field program management, including training and supervision of student employees, maintaining laboratory safety compliance, purchasing and inventory management, and routine maintenance of equipment.

Benefits

• Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands.
• Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1.
• To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions we also offer two additional floating holidays.
• Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree