Precision Agriculture Testbeds Manager

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

This position is not eligible for new sponsorship.

Announcement Number STAFF - VA - 27107

For questions regarding this position, please contact:

Position Number 4C0499

Department Land Resources & Environ Sci

Division College of Agriculture/MAES

Appointment Type Professional

Contract Term Fiscal Year

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FLSA Exempt

Union Affiliation Exempt from Collective Bargaining

FTE 1.0

Salary Salary commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications.

Contract Type LOA

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Recruitment Type Open

Montana State University, in partnership with the Headwaters Tech Hub ( HTH ) and other MSU partners, has made strategic investments in precision agriculture by developing applied, real-world testbeds at the Lutz Farm and Red Bluff Ranch. These testbeds are intended to function as shared infrastructure supporting industry validation, applied research, demonstration, workforce development, and economic development activities.

• Client Engagement and Project Intake
  • Lead initial client discovery meetings to understand proposed technologies, intended use cases, and project objectives.
  • Assess alignment between client needs and available testbed capabilities, infrastructure, and timelines.
  • Guide clients through completion of the Testbed Project Intake Form to capture technical requirements, constraints, and expectations.
• Project Planning and Scoping
  • Synthesize information from discovery meetings, intake forms, and internal consultations into draft project plans.
  • Coordinate with faculty, technical staff, farm managers, and Headwaters Tech Hub personnel to:
    • Assess feasibility
    • Identify resource and staffing needs
    • Estimate timelines and costs
    • Ensure client objectives are clearly represented while maintaining realistic scope, budget, and operational constraints.
• Contracting and Administrative Coordination
  • Coordinate with MSU’s Research and Economic Development ( RED ) office to support contracting processes.
  • Track project approvals and documentation to ensure compliance with institutional requirements, including coordination with the MSU Office of Research Integrity & Compliance.
  • Maintain communication with clients regarding contract status, timelines, and next steps.
  • Coordinate administrative aspects of testbed-related grants and subawards, including tracking reporting requirements, budgets, and deliverables in collaboration with RED and finance staff.
  • Support preparation of technical and progress reports by compiling project documentation and inputs from internal teams.
  • Monitor timelines and compliance requirements, communicating risks or delays to project leadership.
• Project Execution Oversight
  • Coordinate internal resources to support project execution in accordance with finalized plans.
  • Work with the testbed lead and field operation manager to maintain situational awareness of field activities, testbed availability, and scheduling conflicts.
  • Coordinate with administrative and finance staff to initiate invoicing following project completion.
  • Compile technical inputs from faculty and staff into project documentation and final client-facing reports.
  • Ensure final reports meet contractual and institutional requirements and are delivered to clients in accordance with the invoice and payment processes.
  • Participate in post-project internal reviews to assess outcomes and lessons learned, contributing to continuous improvement of testbed operations.
• Applied Research and Extension Support
  • Support dissemination of…