Agriculture Research Specialist - Animal Science Farm

Description

West Virginia University's Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design (WVU DCANRD) is seeking applications for an Agricultural Research Specialist.

This position contributes to the integrity of research, demonstration, and teaching initiatives conducted by faculty of WVU DCANRD and the WVU Experiment Station Center. The role provides labor and knowledge to ensure the highest quality operation of the DCANRD Research, Education and Outreach Centers (REOC’s). The incumbent supports faculty conducting classes and demonstrations at research and teaching locations. This position requires willingness to work holidays, weekends, and after core business hours.

WV offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5‑hour work week
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
• 15 annual leave (vacation) days per year (employee leave)
• 18 sick days per year for illness or caring for sick family members
• Health insurance and other benefits
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks
• Wellness programs

• Feeds food stuffs and commercial feed types to specific animals such as sheep, goats, beef cattle, llamas, and chickens daily and as needed.
• Follows protocols, policies, SOPs, and requirements as directed, under light supervision.
• Receives newly arrived animals and provides clean animal housing, handling facilities, food, and water.
• Handles, restrains, and identifies specific animals as required and assists in treatment under supervision or independently as directed from veterinarian staff or researchers.
• Tags, numbers, or otherwise marks animals for identification.
• Transfers animals to clean housing.
• Observes any irregularities in animal groups and reports irregularities to supervisor, veterinarian, and/or Research Principal Investigator (PI).
• Performs other technical duties required for animal care and husbandry to meet and exceed Institutional Animal Care and Use.

• Cleans, sweeps, scrubs, and sanitizes animal housing and working facilities. Provides clean bedding, fresh food and fresh water daily or as needed to ensure proper animal care and compliance with SOPs.
• Disposes of animal carcasses and other waste following standardized procedures.
• Operates standard transmission and automatic University trucks, tractors, and equipment needed to complete tasks.
• Plants and harvests products for animal consumption to meet optimal growth and capacity.
• Restocks supplies and maintains all animal inventories. Unloads, stores feed/bedding upon delivery or transfer, and maintains accurate records, reports, and statistics.
• Reviews and updates SOPs in their area, as required.
• Maintains established department policies, procedures, objectives, quality assurance. Attends required meetings, seminars and classes.
• Other relevant duties necessary to fulfill the mission of the REOC’s.

• Assists REOC management in the oversight of research activities to include production, maintenance, collection, and collating of resources.
• Responsible for collecting research data and/or samples for the farm manager. Assists in organizing and collating data for statistical analyses and interpretation.
• Observes and records appropriate data and checks for completeness and accuracy in support of research projects. Prepares data for input in computer and assists in the processing of information generated from analyses.
• Maintains all required records, reports, statistics, etc. as mandated by Federal or State Laws and/or institutional policies and procedures.
• Maintains established departmental policies, procedures, objectives, and quality assurance, safety, and environmental controls.
• Assists PI’s in the development and evaluation of new analytical procedures and techniques.
• Performs data collection in field research plots to include measuring, harvesting, weighing, and preparing for storage of plant materials. Assists researchers in laying out replicated plots or replicated animal treatment groups. Requires an understanding of the research process and attention to…