FWS Fall , Horticulture Undergraduate Research Assistant - Fruit Crop Climate Resilience

FWS Fall 2026, Horticulture Undergraduate Research Assistant
- Fruit Crop Climate Resilience

Job Title FWS Fall 2026, Horticulture Undergraduate Research Assistant
- Fruit Crop Climate Resilience

Requisition Number

Requisition Number DU15056

Department Name

Work Location

Work Location 1100 S Limestone Lexington, KY 40506

Salary Range

Salary Range $15.00 - $17.00

Type of Position

Type of Position Student

Position Time Status

Position Time Status Part-Time

Required Education

Current undergraduate enrollment at the University of Kentucky.

Required Related Experience

No previous research experience is required. Applicants must demonstrate reliability, attention to detail, timely communication, and a willingness to follow research protocols and laboratory and field safety procedures.

Required License/Registration/Certification

N/A

Physical Requirements

Work will occur in laboratories, orchards, vineyards, berry plantings, and occasionally on cooperating commercial farms. Students must be able to stand or walk for extended periods, work on uneven ground and in seasonal weather, perform detailed bench or microscopy work, and occasionally lift and carry routine field or laboratory supplies.

Shift

• Weekdays between 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• Evenings
• Weekend

There is flexibility to work at different times on individual hours, while collaborative work will often take place during normal business hours.

Job Summary

Students will work in one of two complementary tracks within the Fruit Climate Resilience Student Innovation Lab.

Engineering-track students will build, test, troubleshoot, maintain, and document sensors, temperature-control systems, data loggers, and other equipment used in fruit climate-resilience research.

Biology-track students will collect and process fruit-crop samples, assess cold injury in the field and laboratory, use microscopy and visual scoring methods, and organize and interpret biological and weather data.

Students will join either the Engineering Track or the Biology Track within the Fruit Climate Resilience Student Innovation Lab. Students in both tracks will receive hands-on training, take ownership of a defined research project, and contribute to larger collaborative studies focused on fruit crops and climate resilience.

Each student will work with a faculty mentor to develop a project that matches the student’s interests and skills. Students will help define a research question, develop a work plan, collect and manage data, analyze results, and communicate their findings. Depending on the project and student interest, outputs may include a scientific poster or presentation, an undergraduate research abstract, an Extension article or publication, a grower presentation, a technical protocol, or a contribution to a research manuscript.

Engineering-track students will design, assemble, program, calibrate, deploy, and troubleshoot sensors, controlled-temperature systems, imaging tools, data loggers, and other research equipment. They will also work with large environmental, sensor, temperature, and image datasets. Activities may include programming, data cleaning and integration, database development, statistical and signal analysis, data visualization, computer vision, predictive modeling, and the evaluation of machine-learning approaches. Engineering students will work closely with biology-track students to connect system design and computational analysis to biological research questions, validate system outputs, and improve research workflows.

Biology-track students will work directly with engineering-track students to prepare, deploy, and evaluate research systems in laboratories, orchards, vineyards, berry plantings, and cooperating commercial farms. They will collect plant and environmental data, process fruit-crop samples, measure crop development and cold injury, and perform microscopy, dissection, imaging, and other biological analyses. Biology students will also organize datasets, conduct quality-control checks, perform statistical analyses, and interpret plant responses in relation to temperature, weather, crop stage, and system performance.

Students in both tracks will maintain accurate research records, participate in project planning and team meetings, share progress with the group, and contribute to collaborative experiments. They may also work with fruit growers and Extension professionals to understand practical production challenges and communicate research findings to both scientific and nontechnical audiences.

Skills / Knowledge / Abilities

Strong attention to detail, curiosity, problem-solving ability, careful record keeping, dependable attendance, and effective teamwork. Applicants should be able to work independently after training and communicate questions or problems promptly. Interest in fruit crops, climate resilience, engineering design, plant biology, data analysis, Extension, or public communication is preferred.

Does this position have supervisory responsibilities?

Does this position have supervisory…