Research Technician

Position: Research Technician 2
Location: Northern

This is a temporary, grant-funded position with continuation contingent upon availability of funds. The Research Technician 2 provides professional research support in the Sustainable Agroecosystems (SAS) Lab, with primary responsibility for laboratory operations supporting forage, grazing-systems, and environmental-impact research. The core of the position is careful, detail-oriented laboratory work: sample organization and labeling, analytical procedures, equipment operation and maintenance, data quality control, and lab management.

The role also requires regular participation in physically demanding fieldwork, including livestock handling, sample collection in pastures and plots, and travel to research stations (approximately 100-mile round trips) during peak seasons. The Lab maintains a collaborative culture in which team members take ownership of their work, support one another, and contribute to shared problem-solving.

Primary Duties
** Primary Duties*
* • Organize, label, track, and process laboratory samples (forage, soil, greenhouse-gas, and related matrices) with a high degree of accuracy and consistency.
• Perform and quality-check laboratory analyses, including near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), gas chromatography, and other established protocols; maintain associated equipment.
• Manage laboratory inventory, supplies, sample storage, and data organization; prepare analysis reports and invoices for commercial forage-quality and greenhouse-gas analyses and track associated payments.
• Train and oversee student research assistants on laboratory procedures and safety.
• Support and, as assigned, lead field data collection, including livestock handling, plot and pasture sampling, and operation of field equipment, often under hot or otherwise demanding conditions and during long work daysworkdays.
• Assist with data formatting, preparation of manuscripts, extension materials (factsheets, web/social content), and other project needs.
• Perform other duties as assigned, including equipment maintenance and ad-hoc field support.

Essential Duties
** Essential Duties
** Laboratory Operations, Analyses, and Quality Control:
Lead day-to-day laboratory function. This includes receiving, labeling, organizing, and tracking samples; preparing reagents and following multi-step analytical protocols; operating and maintaining specialized instruments (NIRS, gas chromatography, and related equipment); ensuring data quality and chain-of-custody; managing inventory and procurement; preparing reports and invoices; and training students in lab methods. Work requires sustained attention to detail, patience with repetitive but exacting tasks, and reliable record-keeping.

Field Operations and Sample Collection:
Implement and support experimental work at field sites. Duties include handling livestock as required by protocols, collecting forage, soil, and gas samples, assisting with experimental setups, and traveling to stations approximately 100 miles from Columbus (daily round trips common during peak periods, typically May–November; overnight stays usually not required). Field days can be long and physically demanding and often occur in heat, sun, or other inclement weather.

Data Support, Communication, and Other Duties:
Format and organize data for manuscripts and reports; contribute to extension and outreach products; supervise students as needed; and provide flexible support for emerging project needs and team problem-solving.
** Minimum

Education and Experience Required
** High School diploma & one year of experience with demonstrated laboratory experience in sample processing, organization/labeling, analytical procedures, and/or operation of instruments such as NIRS or gas chromatography.
** Required…