Swine Research Specialist

Position Overview & Responsibilities: Critical to the success of all research trials, this position has immediate responsibility for the care of the animals in Christensen Farms research site. Research and development is a critical area of the Christensen Farms organization in our continuous strive for excellence. The swine research specialist will have the opportunity to work closely with other specialists and the research site manager at Christensen Farm's wean to finish research site located in south central Minnesota.

The duties of this job require a high degree of skill in animal care, animal handling, and accuracy of work. Motivation, attention to detail, and a self-disciplined approach are necessities for successful job performance.

• Responsible for the care of the animals in the research site(s), including, but not limited to:
  Daily observations, individual treatment plans, feeder management, environmental management, and recording data
• Perform individual daily pig evaluation and determine treatment plan as needed
• Responsible and appropriate use of medications for disease treatment
• Pull pigs from the general population into pull pens for recovery
• Timely euthanasia and dead removal
• Ensure pigs have adequate feed, clean water, and appropriate ventilation at all times
• Monitor and adjust ventilation as needed
• Laundry and site cleanliness
• Loading and unloading pigs for transport
• Barn preparation for new groups of pigs
• Work closely and communicate frequently with the research site manager to ensure the research sites have exceptional pig care and high caliber research data
• Keeping the research site manager informed on a timely basis in regards to scheduling, issues, time frames, commitments, production and human resource issues
• Willingness to support other needs of the department, including both field trials and labor needs at the other research sites
• Upholding company image and promoting it inside and outside the organization
• Supporting and promoting company policies, procedures, and values.

• Collect data in an organized, detailed, and accurate manner
• Record any animal movements within the research sites by individual
• Record individual treatments
• Record scour score by pen, when required
• Record residual (overflow) feed daily
• Input collected information into Excel
• Assist the research site manager with research processes that include, but are not limited to:
  Setting up trials, counting pigs, weighing pigs, and sorting pigs
• Provide additional support on an as needed basis to other research activities outside of research sites
• Report events that deviate from normal operation and may affect results to research staff

• Provides accurate and timely correspondence as required by the research barn manager or service manager

• Direct:
  None
• Indirect:
  None

• Research Site Manager

Education:

High School diploma

Experience:

Previous swine or livestock production experience preferred.

Specialized Training Requirements:
Basic computer proficiency, especially in Microsoft Excel. Ability to read and write English is a requirement.

Other Technical

Skills required:

None

Rare, 0-5% Climbing:
Ascending or descending ladders, stairs, scaffolding, ramps, poles and the like, using feet and legs and/or hands and arms.

Occasional, 6-33% Bending or stooping:
Bending body downward and forward by bending spine at the waist.

Occasional, 6-33% Kneeling or squatting.

Rare, 0-5% Overhead reaching.

Unlimited, 67-100% Standing, particularly for sustained periods of time.

Rare, 0-5% Sitting, Particularly for sustained periods of time.

Unlimited, 67-100% Walking.

Rare, 0-5% Pushing and pulling.

Frequent, 34-66% Medium lifting:
Lifting up to 50 pounds occasionally with frequent lifting and/or carrying of objects weighing up to 25 pounds.

Frequent, 34-66% Hearing:
Perceiving the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction.

Frequent, 34-66% Motions of the wrists, hands, and/or fingers (i.e. typing, grasping, or gripping).

The worker is required to have the visual ability to perform an…