Substitute Research Assistant

Substitute Research Assistant

Who We Are + What We Do

The Land Institute co-leads the global movement for perennial, diverse, regenerative grain agriculture at a scale that matches the enormity of the intertwined climate, water, and food security crises. An independent 501c3 non-profit founded in 1976, the organization seeks to reconcile the human economy with nature's economy, starting with food. The transdisciplinary team of scientists, together with global partners, are developing new perennial grain crops, like Kernza©, and diverse cropping systems that function within nature's limits and researching the social transformation required for a just, perennial human future.

Substitute Status

Substitute-Status Research Assistants are hired on an as-needed basis to provide short-term or intermittent support when work is available. This role does not have a guaranteed schedule or set number of hours, and work assignments may vary based on organizational needs, timing, or conditions such as weather. Substitute-status positions are hourly and non-exempt and do not automatically convert to regular staff roles.

This position is best suited for individuals who value flexible work, can respond to variable scheduling, and are able to step in reliably when called upon.

How You'd Fit In + Stand Out

The Substitute Research Assistant will assist with research activities, including planting, harvesting, weeding, threshing, plant tissue collection, data entry, dishwashing, and other research support tasks. They will be expected to be able to work indoors and outdoors, doing manual, repetitive tasks for hours at a time. This hourly position allows for flexible scheduling that may be dependent on weather and labor availability.

This position does not have supervisory responsibilities. The Land Institute believes each employee makes a significant contribution to our success. Those contributions may be outside of regular duties. It is our expectation that each employee will offer his or her services in a courteous, cooperative, and helpful manner, with a positive attitude and in the spirit of teamwork to ensure the success of our company.
Primary Responsibilities + Expectations

• Help researchers conduct field and lab work, which may sometimes involve repetitive tasks or sitting/standing for long periods of time, as well as working in extreme heat.
• Follow field and lab safety procedures and voice any safety concerns when warranted
• Complete manual, repetitive tasks.
• Perform fieldwork, including but not limited to collecting data, threshing, weeding, planting, etc

Organizational Competencies

• Mission Driven:
  You are passionate about the mission of The Land Institute and are interested in aligning your skills and personal genius to benefit this work.
• Courageous:
  You do not retreat or shy away from hard things. You face challenges and conflict with professionalism, grace, and resolve.
• A Boundary Spanner:
  You bring an interdisciplinary skill set and you model self-awareness in your own preferences. You are motivated to always be learning and you adapt to span boundaries with people across a range of different perspectives.
• Inspiring and Inspired:
  You are inspired by the people around you, finding and harnessing the genius in your colleagues to meet the organizational objectives, and you are inspiring to others through example and your own genius applied.
• Growth Mindset:
  You have the vulnerability to know what you don't know, admit your flaws, and learn from others to grow and develop yourself and the organization.
• A Creative Collaborator:
  You believe in the power of a diverse collective to generate ideas and solutions. You excel at strategic thinking, being open to new perspectives, and managing innovation. You bring a playful and positive approach to the work, enjoying meeting new people and deepening connections with those you already know.
• Excited by change:
  You embrace nascent and evolving situations and enjoy engaging new people, ideas, and possibilities. You think about change holistically: internal, external, organizational, and cultural. You like iterating systems, building efficiency, and operationalizing design. You are…