Research Support Specialist I

Culture of Inclusion and Community Standards :

As a university founded to be a place where any person can find instruction in any study, diversity and inclusion are at the core of our values and mission.

We strive to be a welcoming, caring, healthy, and equitable community where students, faculty, and staff with different backgrounds, perspectives, abilities, and experiences can learn, innovate, and work in an environment of respect, and feel empowered to engage in any community conversation.

As a member of the Cornell University community, it is important to recognize our shared responsibility to each other to cultivate a culture of inclusion for all.

As an individual contributor you will model and support a culture of diversity, equity, inclusion, and wellbeing and continually seek to understand how your role, behaviors, and actions impact the success of this culture.

While position responsibilities vary greatly, the Skills for Success and Leadership Skills for Success are foundational to what is expected of every employee and leader working at Cornell.

These skills are essential for individual and organizational success. ;

Department Background :

The College of Agriculture and Life Science is a pioneer of purpose-driven science and Cornell University's second largest college.

We work across disciplines to tackle the challenges of our time through world-renowned research, education and outreach.

The questions we prove and the answers we seek focus on three overlapping concerns : natural and human systems; food, energy and environmental resources;

and social, physical and economic well-being. The Horticulture Section is part of Cornell's School of Integrative Plant Science (SIPS), a large internationally renowned group of academics with abundant interactions and joint projects.

Members of the Section collaborate with colleagues working in areas of plant breeding, genomics, plant biology, international agriculture and many other areas of the life and agricultural sciences.

For more information about SIPS and the Horticulture Section, please visit . The Cornell AgriTech campus in Geneva includes members of SIPS, Entomology and Food Science, as well as USDA facilities that house two units, the Plant Genetics Resources Unit (PGRU) and the Grape Genetics Research Unit (GGRU), comprised of over 30 staff and scientists who collaborate on a diverse array of research projects.

The PGRU serves as the repository for the national apple germplasm collection as well as collections of hemp, other fruit and vegetable crops.

Larry Smart’s program research is focused on breeding, genetics, genomics, and physiology of willow bioenergy crops, hemp, hop, and other field and specialty crops.

Shrub willow ( spp.) produce high yields of woody biomass when grown as a dedicated short-rotation crop on marginal or underutilized land.

Willow stems are harvested every three years and the plants resprout after each cutback, making willow fields productive for more than 20 years.

Dr. Smart directs the largest willow breeding program in North America and collaborates with colleagues across North America on studies of willow biomass composition, willow crop management, and regional yield trials.

Hemp has emerged as a new and popular crop on the NY landscape with the potential to expand to 1 M ac of cultivation in the US in the next several years.

Smart directs the largest academic hemp breeding program in the country aimed at developing cultivars with high yield and environmental adaptation to meet market demands for grain, fiber, and natural products.

Smart also directs the Cornell hop breeding program, with the goal of selecting new, high-yielding disease-resistance hop cultivars for NYS craft brewers.

The Smart Lab group collaborates with plant pathologists, agronomists, food scientists, ag engineers, materials scientists, and economists to produce cutting-edge scientific results that benefit society.

Rewards And Benefits :

This position offers an intellectually challenging workplace environment where your creativity and innovation are valued.

You will work with academic colleagues in a collaborative team to accomplish ambitious research and development goals. You will interact with academic, professional, and community stakeholders.

The outcomes of your work will directly address the needs of the local, regional, and global communities. Your compensation will be competitive in the current workplace.

Your daily schedule can be flexible, and you will receive generous paid time-off to allow for a healthy work-life balance.

You will receive great benefits that support a secure, long, and prosperous career

Position Summary :

• While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a psychologically healthy work environment by communicating across differences;
• being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective;

speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work / life integration of oneself and others.

This position will operate, maintain, and manage the Cornell Hemp Processing Lab, including the hemp decorticator and other equipment.

The incumbent will : 1) optimize operation of equipment for hemp processing, 2) assist with field trial execution, harvest, and post-harvest processing, 3) develop and execute best practices for safety and efficiency, 4) develop curricula and train personnel on crop production and equipment use, 5) develop and execute best practices for equipment maintenance, 6) manage the Processing Lab as a service facility with customer service to stakeholders as a top priority, 7) coordinate with other team members in collecting and analyzing data and in publishing and presenting those to stakeholders, 8) prepare reports and publications from research trials and experiments, 9) assist with the delivery of extension programming, including delivery of Hemp School training and field day events, 10) maintain good communications within the program team, with collaborators at Cornell, other institutions, and with stakeholders, 11) identify procedural problems and communicate those to the supervisor, and 12) conduct ongoing professional development to always improve skills and knowledge.

Required Qualifications :

• Bachelor’s Degree in the area of horticulture, agricultural science, agronomy, ag engineering, mechanics, or related discipline and at least four years of relevant professional experience.
• Must have knowledge and / or education in agricultural research methodology and must have formal training or knowledge of equipment mechanics and maintenance.
• Demonstrated proficiency in the use of a range of field and laboratory equipment, methodology, and statistical analysis.

Prior experience in collecting complex data and organizing a field research team.

• Must have strong written and oral communication skills.
• Must possess excellent organizational skills. Strong skills in the use of Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Must have good eyesight, attention to detail, and fine motor skills.
• Must be willing to work for long durations under harsh and hazardous conditions.
• Must be able to carry out repetitive tasks for extended periods of time.
• Must be able to lift up to 50 lbs.
• Must be willing to use loud and dusty equipment for extended periods of time.
• Must be able to travel to field sites, including occasional extended overnight stays.
• Must be willing to communicate with team members using a personal cell phone.
• Must possess and maintain a current and clean driver’s license and have a successful driving background check.
• Must be eligible and willing to attain a Commercial Driver’s License.
• Must be able to produce deliverables and meet deadlines on short notice.
• Must be able to interact effectively in person with large and diverse groups, including organizing presentations, leading demonstrations, and delivering engaging and interesting presentations to large audiences.
• Experience in and / or demonstrated commitment to supporting diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and wellbeing.
• Passionate about working in an organization that values and promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, anti-racism, and wellbeing.
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive and equitable working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.

Preferred Qualifications :

• Master’s Degree in the area of horticulture, agricultural science, agronomy, ag engineering, mechanics, or related discipline and at least 2 years of professional experience.
• Commercial driver’s license.
• Certification as a mechanic through the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence or similar professional mechanics certification.
• Experience driving tractors or heavy equipment and operating hand-held power tools and self-propelled power equipment and machinery.
• Experience with agricultural harvesting and processing equipment, including combines, forage choppers, grain cleaning equipment, balers, or other similar machinery.
• Experience with robotics, computer programming, network control systems, remote communications systems, or other digital agriculture systems.
• Experience working in a hemp or other fiber processing facility or fiber products manufacturing facility.
• Experience delivery extension programming, other teaching experience, and public speaking.
• Experience writing and reviewing reports, manuscripts, and grant proposals.

No relocation assistance is provided for this position.

No visa sponsorship is available for this position.

Familiarize yourself with Cornell's as well as the university's .

University Job Title :

Research Support Spec I

Job Family : Academic Support

Academic Support

Level : Pay Rate Type :

Pay Rate Type : Salary

Salary

Pay Range :

$58,660.00 - $62,270.00

Remote Option Availability :

Fully Onsite

Company : Contract College

Contract College

Contact Name : Jessica Townley

Jessica Townley

Job Titles and Pay Ranges :

Non-Union Positions

Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria :

Prior relevant work or industry experience

Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position

Unique applicable skills

Academic Discipline (faculty pay ranges reflects 9-month annual salary)

To learn more about Cornell’s non-union staff job titles and pay ranges, see .

Union Positions

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement.

To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see .

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EEO Statement :

Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University’s heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA / EEO, and we do not tolerate discrimination based on any protected characteristic, including race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex / gender, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and / or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and / or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.

Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff to all identities and backgrounds.

We encourage individuals from underrepresented and / or marginalized identities to apply.

2024-03-06