Agricultural Technician - Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources; Reedsville

Description

The Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for an Agricultural Technician located at the Animal Science Farm in Morgantown, WV.

The purpose of this position is to provide labor and knowledge to help ensure the highest quality of operation of the WVU Davis College Agriculture Research and Teaching Centers. This position contributes to the integrity of research, demonstration, and teaching activities conducted by the Faculty of the Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design on the WVU Experiment Station Centers in Mon and Preston Counties.

WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week
• 13 paid holidays
• 15 annual leave days per year or more based on years of service
• 18 sick days per year
• Health insurance and other benefits
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match
• Wellness programs

• Feeds food stuffs and commercial feed types to specific animals such as sheep, goats, beef cattle, dairy cattle, llamas, and chickens daily and as needed.
• Follows protocols, policies, Standard Operating Procedures, and requirements as directed, under light supervision.
• Receives newly arrived animals, and provides clean animal housing and handling facilities, as well as food, and water.
• Handles, restrains, and identifies specific animals as required and assists in treatment as directed from veterinarian staff.
• Tags, numbers, or otherwise marks animals for identification.
• Transfers animals to clean housing.
• Observes any irregularities in animal groups such as abnormal food and water consumption, deaths, abnormal stool, unusual behavior, injury, or distress and reports irregularities to supervisor, veterinarian, and/or Research PI.
• Performs other technical duties as required for animal care and husbandry to meet and exceed IACUC Expectations and Guidelines.
• Cleans, sweeps, scrubs, and sanitizes animal housing/working facilities. Provides clean bedding, fresh food and fresh water for animals daily or as needed to ensure proper animal care and stay in compliance with Standard Operating Procedures.
• Disposes of animal carcasses and other waste following standardized procedures.
• Operates standard transmission and automatic University trucks to various sites as well as farm 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 and reports.
• Reviews and updates Standard Operating Procedures in their area, as needed.

• Provide daily management and care for production/maintenance of food and fiber, horticultural crops for support of teaching/research programs of the Davis College. Activities to be performed include:
  • Soil preparation
  • Application of fertilizers and lime
  • Seeding
  • Transplanting
  • Cultivation
  • Application of pesticides
  • Pruning
  • Harvesting and storage of crops

• Conduct visual inspection of all equipment to ensure safe and efficient operation.
• Assists management and/or trade specialists in performing routine equipment maintenance such as oil, filter and fuel filter changes, monitoring and maintaining fluid levels, and lubricating tractors and other equipment.
• Operates a wide range of large agricultural and construction equipment used at a farm such as tractors, sprayers, front loaders, scrapers, silo fillers, balers, haybines, combines, brush cutters, etc.
• Drive truck weighing 26000 lbs. GVW or less to haul logs, posts, fertilizer, lime, produce, livestock, equipment, hay and other farm products and supplies.
• Operates equipment and tools necessary for the construction of all types of fences and constructs fences as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Perform various labor activities involved in farm maintenance; mopping floors, cleaning bathrooms, shoveling snow, painting, lawn mowing, weed trimming and thawing frozen water lines.
• Assists management in…