EARC Administrative Associate III

Position Number

4N0240

AES EARC

College of Agriculture/MAES

Classified

Fiscal Year

Non-Exempt

FOCUS-MFPE

1.0

Salary $20.00 per hour, commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications.

Classified Hourly

Open

1

EARC is part of Montana State University and performs agricultural research that directly benefits farmers, ranchers, and communities across eastern Montana and beyond.

Qualified applicants at different stages of their careers are encouraged to apply. MSU offers a comprehensive benefits package, including paid vacation and sick leave, paid holidays, retirement benefits, and health, dental, vision, and other insurance options.

Training will be provided on Montana State University accounting systems, policies, procedures, and other job‑specific responsibilities.

For questions regarding this position, please contact:
The Eastern Agricultural Research Center ( EARC ) located in Sidney, MT is looking for a dependable, organized, and personable administrative professional to support the work of the research center.

• Manage the day-to-day operations of the EARC front office, including answering phones, assisting visitors, maintaining calendars, preparing correspondence and documents, and providing administrative support to the Superintendent, faculty, and staff.
• Process and monitor financial transactions, including invoices, purchasing, deposits, travel reimbursements, and university accounts.
• Assist with personnel and payroll activities, including hiring paperwork, employee records, timesheets, and monthly payroll processes.
• Assist the superintendent in coordinating and supporting EARC meetings, the Annual Field Day, advisory board meetings, and other center events.
• Maintain office records, manuals, reports, supplies, and other materials, and assist with compiling weather information and EARC annual research reports.
• Assisting the Superintendent in communicating with university offices, other research centers, Extension offices, vendors, agricultural producers, and the public.
• Perform other administrative duties as needed to support the center.

• Two years of experience in administrative, office management, bookkeeping, or similar roles.
• Experience using Microsoft Office applications, including word processing, spreadsheets, email, and similar office software.
• Experience working with financial records, invoices, budgets, bookkeeping, accounting, or other financial transactions.
• Demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize multiple responsibilities, meet deadlines, and adapt to changing priorities while maintaining a positive, effective, and professional attitude.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy when working with financial, personnel, and other records.

• Two years of post-secondary education
• Experience with bookkeeping, accounting, purchasing, payroll, or financial recordkeeping.
• Experience working in a university, government, agricultural, or other public-sector setting.
• Experience coordinating meetings, events, or other community activities.
• Experience working with policies and procedures related to purchasing, financial transactions, or personnel.

• Maintain the confidentiality of records and information;
• Communicate effectively with employees, students, and the public, both in-person and over the phone;
• Establish and maintain effective working relations with co‑workers and the public;
• Represent the Eastern Ag Research Center, the Department, and MSU professionally and courteously.

This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements, but is a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

To perform this job…