Employment

Field Research Technician (job #358837)

We are the Northwest Research and Outreach Center located in Crookston, MN we are looking for a highly
motivated, detail-oriented, full-time Field Research Technician to assist the researchers in the development
of improved agronomic and pest & disease management recommendations for all research crops. The job
duties involve assisting in planning, organizing, and conducting small plot research. You will be working
with a group of individuals called the Research Support Group to successfully accomplish the assigned job
duties, so excellent communication and coordination skills are necessary. You are responsible for field
preparation, planting, plot maintenance, spraying, data collection, and harvesting of crops using farm
equipment such as planters, grain drills, pesticide applicators, fertilizer spreaders, and combines made by
John Deere and Wintersteiger alone and as a part of The Research Support Group.
 

Minimum Qualifications:
~High school graduate or equivalent, and two years related education and/or experience in
agriculture.
 

Preferred Qualifications:
~Experience in mechanized agriculture and safe operation of motorized farm equipment, farm
background, and farm experience
~Ability to obtain a Certified Pesticide Applicator License for applying herbicides, fungicides,
insecticides, etc.
~Knowledge/ability to maintain and repair farm equipment.
~Evidence of being observant and detail-oriented, following both written and verbal instructions,
and being a willing participant in a team atmosphere.
~Use of computer for basic word processing and data entry/analysis
~Ability to drive a pick-up truck with a gooseneck trailer. Ability to load a trailer with a tractor or
combine.

View the full position description and apply at: http://www.umn.edu/jobs JOB #358837

Summer Field Technicians

NWROC is looking for persons 16 years and older to work alongside top class scientists and with their agricultural projects. Utilize the latest field & lab equipment.  Work with pride during the months of June, July, and August with little to no weekends, 8:00am-4:30pm. Pay starting at $15. No experience required. This type of work looks great on a resume for college or applying for another job! Download the application form (PDF).

Please send applications to the area you are interested in. We are currently hiring in the following areas: 

Small Grains Agronomy- Jochum Wiersma ([email protected])

Are you looking for something different to do this summer that is outside and does not involve flipping hamburgers?  We have two openings for high school or college students that are interested in working outdoors, like biology, and wonder what applied agricultural research entails. You'll be involved in the maintenance and harvesting of research trials in wheat, barley, oats, and rye at the Northwest Research & Outreach Center and locations across northwest Minnesota.  You will assist with notetaking, sample processing, setup & maintaining irrigation systems and data collection. Pay starts at $15.00 per hour. 

Lawn Maintenance- Ryan Altepeter ([email protected])

Mowing grass with riding mowers & push mowers.
Running weedwhacker/trimmer.
Painting exterior on buildings & posts.
Trimming trees.

Soils & Water- Lindsay Pease ([email protected] )

Spend the summer outside with a small team collecting water, soil, and plant biomass samples. Learn how to process and prepare these samples for analysis using chemical extraction, discrete analysis, and other methods. This is an excellent opportunity to learn applied and technical skills in nutrient analysis in soil and water. You will have professional development opportunities, like visiting nearby UMN campuses, meeting with growers, and attending summer field days to learn about agronomic practices being researched. Please reach out with questions to Heidi Reitmeier at [email protected]

Field Ecology Research Assistant- Maureen Aubol ([email protected])

This is a student position to support field ecology research activities is available at the Northwest Research and Outreach Center (NWROC), located in Crookston, MN. The position reports to the Director of Operations at NWROC. Guidance and direction will be provided by Emeritus Professor Dr. Daniel Svedarsky and MN DNR personnel. This position will include: Planning and preparation for field and greenhouse experiments including those activities unique to field ecology research. General management of natural areas. Data and plant specimen collection of native prairie areas. 

Required criteria:

1) Must be an undergraduate or graduate student

2) Must be conducting field ecology research at the Red River Valley Natural History Area or prairie and wetland habitats located along the Lake Agassiz beach ridge landscape to the east of Crookston,

3) Maintain a GPA of at least 3.0.

4) Be of outstanding character and evidence of creative scholarship in field ecology

5) A member at the national level of The Wildlife Society.

6) Will complete a 2-page outline of the proposed research or an ongoing research project and indicate how the funds would be used.

7) Will submit a letter of recommendation from the student’s academic adviser.

Crop Scout- Angie Peltier ([email protected] )

Are you an agriculture or biology student interested in:
1) earning some $$ over the summer,
2) learning more about wheat and soybean insect pests and diseases,
3) working to help Minnesota crop producers?


These positions are funded by MN soybean growers, crops 
summer research scouts collect soybean insect and disease information or data from research locations in farm fields through paid travel to sample sites. Get paid to learn valuable insect and plant disease identification and research skills to help W MN farmers.

If you have any questions please reach out to Megan Benoit at [email protected] or 218-281-8610.