Senior Research Associate

Senior Research Associate Agency — Texas A&M Agrilife Research Department Rangeland, Wildlife & Fisheries Management

Location:

College Station, Texas

Job type:
Staff

Texas A&M Agri Life is comprised of the following Texas A&M University System members:
Texas A&M Agri Life Extension Service, Texas A&M Agri Life Research College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University, Texas A&M Forest Service, Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory. As the nation’s largest most comprehensive agriculture program, Texas A&M Agri Life brings together a college and four state agencies focused on agriculture and life sciences within The Texas A&M University System.

With over 5,000 employees and a presence in every county across the state, Texas A&M Agri Life is uniquely positioned to improve lives, environments and the Texas economy through education, research, extension and service.

The Texas A&M Center for Grazing lands and Ranch Management is seeking a Research Associate with a strong work ethic to assist in executing projects related to exclusion fencing and mitigation of wild pig damage. Texas A&M University’s Center for Grazing lands and Ranch Management (CGRM) aims to safeguard the ecologic and economic resiliency of grazing land resources and ranching operations with a focus on producer-directed, applied grazing land and ranch management research, outreach, and industry engagement.

CGRM develops and supports interdisciplinary collaborations to address critical needs in the ranching community and strives to achieve three overarching goals: enhance operational resiliency, strengthen enterprise sustainability, and foster the future of the industry.

• Working directly with landowners, managers, biologists, ranchers, and a wide range of constituents.
• All field related work such as identifying study sites, collecting baseline data, setting, filling and maintaining corn feeders, building small exclusion fences and plots, monitoring animal activity with remotely triggered cameras, reviewing and assimilating data from pictures and video, data entry, and report writing.
• Working with other project collaborators to design and implement wild pig exclusion methods in livestock operations to prevent damage, use of feed and water, and access to sensitive areas, which also may include use of farm equipment, implements, ATVs, UTVs, and similar to remediate damage from wild pigs.
• Frequent communication with landowners and coordination with project partners, so effective communication skills are required.
• Travel to multiple study locations across Texas.
• Performing other duties as assigned.

• Bachelor's degree in relevant field.
• Four years of related professional experience.
• Strong work ethic and self-motivated.
• Ability to work in a remote location, sometimes under adverse conditions (hot, humid, biting/stinging insects), on working ranches with livestock operations.
• Ability to work independently and as a team with minimum supervision and be capable of planning an effective work day.
• Ability to analyze data and write reports.
• Ability to communicate effectively and efficiently (verbal and written); detail oriented.
• Ability to multitask and work cooperatively with others.
• Ability to learn new skills and techniques.

• M.S. degree in rangeland management, natural resource management or closely related field; GPA of ≥3.0; more than two years of experience.
• Experience or working knowledge of ranching, wildlife, and rangeland management practices.
• Experience working directly with producers.
• Experience building various fence designs.
• Experience using 4-wheel drive vehicles, ATVs/UTVs, farm machinery/tractors, and ability…