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Faculty Assistant/Research Agronomist

Employer
Western Illinois University
Location
Illinois, United States
Salary
Salary Not specified
Date posted
Mar 29, 2022

View more

Position Type
Administrative, Academic Affairs, Research Administration
Employment Level
Administrative
Employment Type
Full Time


Faculty Assistant/Research Agronomist

Category: Faculty       
Department: Agriculture - Farm
Locations: Macomb, IL
Posted: Mar 28, 2022
Closes: Open Until Filled
Type: FT - Continuous


About Western Illinois University:

About Western Illinois University:

Western Illinois University, accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, serves nearly 7,500 students at its traditional, residential four-year campus in Macomb, IL and its metropolitan branch campus in Moline, IL. Compliance to state and federal hiring standards is coordinated through WIU's Office of Equal Opportunity & Access.

Western Illinois University is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity employer with a strong commitment to diversity. In that spirit, we are particularly interested in receiving applications from a broad spectrum of people, including, but not limited to, minorities, veterans, women and individuals with disabilities. WIU has a non-discrimination policy that includes discrimination based on an individual's membership in the following classes: sex, race, color, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, age, marital status, national origin, disability, genetic information, veteran status, and any other classes protected by state or federal law.


Job Description:

Appointment Date: 05/02/2022

The primary purpose of this position is to support the Director of the WIU Organic Research Program. The employee reports to the Director of the WIU Organic Research Program and, through the Director of the WIU Organic Research Program, to the Director of the School of Agriculture.

Responsibilities:

Essential:

Executes research and demonstration projects, as manager of the WIU Organic Research Farm. Research projects are primarily located at the WIU Organic Research Farm but may involve other sites including university owned farms, leased properties, greenhouse, growth chamber, and cooperating private farms. Assists in the maintenance and scheduling of agronomic field equipment, including assisting in purchasing and preparing bid requests, scheduling vehicles for service, and overseeing proper handling of all equipment lent to other programs. Serves as primary operator of equipment. Coordinates rental of equipment from local farmers. Manages data generated by the WIU Organic Research Farm; ensuring that information has been properly recorded, validated, and safely backed-up. Assists in experimental plot design and conducts basic statistical analysis. Supervises undergraduate student workers assigned to the WIU Organic Research Program. Establishes and monitors work schedules and performance. Establishes priorities, determines best workers for each task, assigns work, gives instructions, explains all safety procedures, sets deadlines, checks on work in progress, and interacts with workers to improve performance. Follows safety procedures for each assigned task and oversees training and instruction of new personnel to the program. Completes annual organic application of the WIU Organic Research Farm and participates in the annual organic inspection and audit of records. Markets farm products. Assists in planning and execution of summer field day. Assists in writing research reports. Explores local and national grant sources. Helps in the preparation of grants supporting research by the WIU Organic Research Program. Assists in making presentations at field days, professional conferences, to media outlets, and other events. Fields and responds to questions from conventional and organic farmers and landowners.

Rank/Salary: Negotiable, commensurate with experience. Western Illinois University offers a competitive benefits package including domestic partner benefits. For full benefit information visit: http://www.wiu.edu/vpas/human_resources/benefits/.


Requirements:

Required Qualifications:

Bachelor of Science degree in an agriculture field.

Preferred Qualifications:

Master of Science degree in an agriculture field.

Proven ability to perform and learn a variety of organic crop production techniques; excellent skills operating large farm machinery; decision-making and problem solving skills; excellent verbal and written English communication skills ; ability to effectively develop strong internal and external working relationships with diverse groups; ability to supervise student workers; ability to present or assist in the presentation of program projects in a number of public forums.

Valid Illinois driver's license; experience in field research; proficiency in standard office and web-related software; mechanical aptitude to effectively operate research equipment and ability to work outdoors, physical lifting, and compatibility with varying ergonomic environments.

For a degree to be considered, it must be conferred from a regionally accredited degree-granting institution of higher education (or equivalent from an international accrediting body). Unless otherwise stated, the degree must be "in hand" at the time of appointment.


Additional Information:

Physical Requirements: The physical requirements are those of a commercial Illinois farmer. These activities require considerable physical exertion. Examples of work required are lifting bags of seed and fertilizer; manual field work including walking soybeans and hooking up and operating farm equipment, sometimes for long hours. These operations are frequent and regular. In all cases, the incumbent is expected to know and exercise safe operating procedures.

Work Environment: Work is conducted both indoors and outdoors throughout the entire year, primarily during the day but occasionally at night. Thus, the temperature in which this individual works may range from below 0 to above 100 degrees. The working environment may include wind, snow, rain, etc. Operation of farm equipment is mentally demanding and requires constant alertness to maintain safety and proper execution of field operations.

THE UNIVERSITY: Since 1902, Western Illinois University has provided outstanding educational opportunities to individuals in west central Illinois and well beyond our region and state. WIU's traditional residential campus in Macomb, Illinois, is the educational, cultural and athletic center of the region, while the WIU-Quad Cities non-residential branch campus in Moline, Illinois, is the only public university in the immediate Quad Cities region.

More than 66 undergraduate degree programs, nearly 40 graduate programs and two doctoral programs prepare students for a successful career after graduation. Outside the classroom at Western, concerts, lectures, presentations, films, dance performances and more are performed each year, along with numerous major theatrical and dance productions and studio shows, as well as a variety of service-oriented projects and activities, all in a diverse and inclusive campus environment. The Multicultural Center is home to four cultural and resource centers: The Gwendolyn Brooks, Casa Latina, the Women's Center, and the LGBT*QA Resource Center.

These cultural and resource centers promote WIU's goal of enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion through educational programming and advocacy.

The University's athletics program, based on the Macomb campus, sponsors 19 NCAA Division I intercollegiate men's and women's varsity sports. Football competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision through the Missouri Valley Football Conference; all other varsity sports compete at the Division I level through The Summit League.

WIU-Macomb, IL (Student Population: 6,432): A traditional, residential four-year campus with offering a comprehensive slate of undergraduate and graduate programs, including a doctorate in education, WIU-Macomb is located in the heart of west central Illinois in Macomb (population 20,000). Amtrak provides twice-daily service from Macomb to Chicago (and point in-between).

Macomb is located approximately 75 miles from the Quad Cities International Airport (Moline, IL) and 70 miles from the Greater Peoria Regional Airport (Peoria, IL).

WIU-Quad Cities (Student Population: 1,192): The only public university in the Quad Cities area, WIU-QC offers select undergraduate and graduate programs, including a doctorate in education and a doctorate in environmental studies, at its metropolitan, non-residential campus in Moline, IL.


Application Instructions:

APPLICATION: Complete applications include:
  1. a letter of application
  2. current curriculum vita or resume
  3. the names, telephone numbers, and e-mail addresses of three current professional references
  4. a separate statement regarding your commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion

Please upload the requested documents by clicking APPLY NOW or by navigating to the WIU Employment page at the following URL http://www.wiu.edu/employment/

Screening Date: 04/28/2022

Western Illinois University endeavors to provide a safe environment for its employees and students and requires candidates to submit to a background investigation upon offer of employment. Employment is contingent upon compliance with University policies and procedures relating to the receipt and evaluation of information contained in the background investigation.

Questions regarding the search may be directed to: Joel Gruver; j-gruver@wiu.edu

For assistance with the online application system contact the Human Resource Office at (309)298-1971 or via email at hr-recruitment@wiu.edu.



To apply, visit https://wiu.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp?JOBID=144530&CNTRNO=1&TSTMP=0

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