Scientific Assistant Senior

Scientific Assistant Senior

Online applications must be received before 11:59pm on May 14, 2026.

Available Title(s): 1160- - Scientific Assistant Senior, 1160- - Scientific Assistant Senior

Business

Title:

Scientific Assistant Senior

Employee Type:
Admin. Professional (+) (Fixed Term)

As the Scientific Assistant Senior, you will perform senior‑level field, greenhouse, and laboratory research in support of the Berry and Potato Pathology (BPP) Program and the Vegetable Seed Pathology (VSP) Program at Washington State University’s Mount Vernon Northwestern Washington Research and Extension Center (NWREC). In this role, you will help identify and define research problems, design experimental approaches and methods, and apply appropriate plant pathology research techniques, including plant pathogen inoculations and disease evaluations.

You will accurately record and compile data, conduct robust statistical analyses, interpret results, and summarize findings in tables, graphs, reports, and publishable formats. You will work both independently and collaboratively as part of the BPP and VSP programs, perform molecular plant pathology laboratory techniques (including molecular identification of plant pathogens), supervise time‑slip employees and undergraduate and graduate interns, advise other program staff, mentor graduate students and technical staff, assist post‑doctoral research associates, and interact constructively with stakeholders and the WSU Mount Vernon NWREC community.

Due to the environments in which you will work, you must be willing to perform duties outdoors in a range of weather conditions and with a diversity of crops, plant pathogens, arthropod pests, and natural enemies. You must be willing to travel to field trial sites throughout Washington, including central Washington, and occasionally to other states, which may include overnight stays.

You must also be willing to work in both conventional and organic agricultural production systems and to work with or in the vicinity of laboratory and agricultural chemicals, for which appropriate safety measures, equipment, and training will be provided.

• 30% Research Experiment Design, Implementation, and Program Oversight
• 25% Experiment Documentation, Statistical Analyses, Research Publications, and Presentations
• 25% Laboratory, Greenhouse, and Field Equipment Operation
• 15% Supervision
• 5% Other Duties

This is a full time (100% FTE), temporary position. Overtime eligibility will be determined based on final salary placement.

Temporary End Date:
This is a temporary position that is renewed on an annual basis. Renewal is dependent on the need for extension and/or if additional funding is secured to extend employment.

Monthly Salary: $5,139.79 – $7,872.33 | Commensurate with experience and qualifications. In accordance with RCW 49.58.110, the above salary reflects the full salary range for this position. Individual placement within the range is based on the candidate's current experience, education, skills, and abilities related to the position.

• Paid sick and vacation leave
• Paid holidays
• Medical, dental, life and disability insurance package for employees and dependents
• Retirement
• Deferred compensation, optional supplemental retirement accounts
• Training and development
• Employee tuition waiver

• A Master's degree in an appropriate related scientific or engineering discipline and four (4) years of progressively responsible related professional research experience. A PhD in a scientific or engineering field may be substituted for up to two (2) years of the required work experience. Any combination of relevant education and professional experience may be substituted for the educational requirement on a year‑for‑year basis.
• Experience with field, laboratory, and greenhouse research experiments in plant pathology and experience operating plant pathology laboratory and greenhouse instrumentation.
• Experience in molecular laboratory techniques (including ELISA, DNA/RNA extraction, regular and real‑time PCR assays, DNA or RNA sequencing for microbial identification, including…