Foundation Seed Specialist

South Dakota State University’s Ag Experiment Station is seeking a Foundation Seed Specialist who will be responsible for day-to-day management of field operations, seed conditioning, and distribution. This position will also supervise student labor and manage farms near Brookings, which includes coordinating land requests and organizing farm activities so both production and research can succeed.

The South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station directly supports the teaching programs offered by the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences, the College of Education and Human Sciences, the College of Natural Sciences and the educational program delivered by SDSU Extension. Our research mission is to find solutions to current problems, as well as opportunities for tomorrow. The new knowledge created from our research enhances the quality of life in South Dakota through the beneficial use and development of human, economic and natural resources.

This position is located in Brookings , South Dakota.

Must be authorized to work in the U.S. Sponsorship is not available for this position.

Assist with the operation and management of Foundation Seed Stocks, including coordinating seed production, cleaning, conditioning, and distribution activities. Develop work schedules for student employees and provide training and oversight to ensure safe and effective farm operations. Conduct field scouting of Foundation Seed production fields to monitor crop conditions and identify potential issues. Maintain, repair, and modify equipment as needed to support Foundation Seed operations, and plan and coordinate field operations and seed conditioning activities.

Manage and coordinate research farm activities in the Brookings area and work closely with SDSU researchers and project teams to ensure research operations are conducted efficiently and according to project requirements. Responsibilities include coordinating land assignments, planning field operations, mapping plot dimensions, coordinating chemical and fertilizer applications, developing and implementing weed control strategies, and organizing post-harvest field cleanup. Provide support to researchers throughout the growing season and coordinate farm activities to ensure research projects are completed safely, efficiently, and effectively.

SDState offers a wide range of excellent benefits including medical, dental, and flexible benefits, retirement plans, compensation packages, paid holidays, and vacation leave. We offer a generous retirement plan that includes 6% matching, 10 hours of annual leave each month, 9.34 hours of sick leave each month, and eleven paid holidays. Employees also have access to internal and state-sponsored training as well as reduced tuition for state-supported courses at all State of South Dakota academic institutions.

Relocation benefits are available per university’s guidelines.

• Agricultural and agronomic background with experience in weed, pest and seed identification.
• Understanding of research plot design and research protocols.
• Experience with equipment used in production-scale agriculture.

• Strong problem-solving ability in dynamic field conditions (weather, equipment, crop issues).
• Ability to work independently and make decisions while also collaborating with researchers and faculty.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy, especially in seed handling
• Lift at least 60 pounds.
• Physical ability to work outdoors/indoors in varying conditions and handle labor-intensive tasks.
• Ability to supervise personnel.

• Must hold or be eligible for a South Dakota Commercial Pesticide Applicator License.

• Relev…