Online applications must be received before 11:59pm on:

July 16, 2025

If a date is not listed above, review the Applicant Instructions below for more details.

Available Title(s):

570E-YN_CS_NPS - Agricultural Research Technologist 1

Business Title:

Agricultural Research Technologist 1

Employee Type:

Classified

Position Details:

The Opportunity:

Under supervision, you will assist with a diversity of lab, greenhouse, and field research/extension trials for the vegetable seed pathology (VSP) program at the Washington State University (WSU) Mount Vernon Northwestern Washington Research & Extension Center (NWREC).

Given the nature of the work environment, you must be willing to work outdoors under a range of weather conditions, and with a diversity of plants, crops, and plant pathogens. This position will require you to travel to field trial sites across Washington, and occasionally in the greater Pacific Northwest (Idaho and Oregon), with potential overnight stays. You must be comfortable working in both conventional and organic agricultural production systems, along with willing to work with, or in the vicinity of, lab and agricultural chemicals, for which appropriate safety measures, equipment, and training are provided.

Laboratory Duties | 30%

Perform routine laboratory support duties, including: prepare agar media and other reagents or buffers for a diversity of plant pathogens and research projects; set up seed health and germination assays for a diversity of crops and seedborne plant pathogens; help with maintenance of fungal, bacterial, and viral isolates in storage, and preparation of cultures using appropriate sterile lab techniques; keep lab chemical inventory updated; order lab supplies as needed; operate lab equipment such as autoclaves, lab dishwasher and drier, pH meters, centrifuges, laminar flow hood, biological safety equipment, incubators, germinators, growth chambers, and other laboratory equipment; clean and maintain laboratory equipment; clean lab glassware and other items as needed for research/extension projects.

Greenhouse Duties | 30%

Assist with set-up and maintenance of greenhouse experiments for a diversity of crops and plant pathogens, as assigned; order greenhouse supplies (pots, flats, potting media, fertilizers, etc.); clean and maintain greenhouse bays and equipment.

Field Work | 30%

Assist with field research projects, field plot set up and maintenance, data collection, and harvest of field trials as directed by supervisors. This includes trials at WSU locations and with grower-cooperators at locations across the state, in adjacent states, and occasionally in other states like Texas and California.

Other Duties as Assigned | 10%

Enter data into spreadsheets for statistical analyses by research technologists and/or principal investigator of the VSP program; proofread, sort, and summarize data, as needed.

Assist with preparation, set-up, and cleanup for field, lab, and greenhouse tours; serve on appropriate committees at the WSU Mount Vernon NWREC, and other general service activities expected of employees at the NWREC.

Assist interns, graduate and undergraduate students, postdoctoral research assistants, technical staff, and other personnel in the VSP program as well as stakeholders with which the VSP program interacts and personnel in other programs at WSU and other institutions.

Additional Information:

This is a full time (100% FTE), permanent position. This position is overtime eligible.

Monthly Salary: $3,417 to $4,542 | Range 38 | Step A-M

Successful candidates are typically hired at the beginning of the salary range and receive scheduled salary increment increases in accordance with WAC 357-28.

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.

Benefits: WSU offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes 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; and employee tuition waiver. For additional information, please review the detailed Summary of Benefits offered by WSU for Classified staff and Total Compensation.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree in the applied, biological, chemical, physical or agri­cultural sciences; OR four years of full-time experience as a Technical Farm Laborer, OR equivalent education/experience.

• Work outdoors for extended periods of time in a range of conditions from hot to cold/wet, including doing repetitive tasks such as weeding, rogueing, data collection, inoculating pathogens, windrowing, harvesting, etc.

• Travel within Washington State, and occasionally to other states, including overnight stays.

• Occasionally work long days to complete specific time-sensitive tasks, e.g., harvest or data collection.

• Communicate effectively in the English language, both verbally and in writing.

Preferred Qualifications:

• 2 years of experience working with plants in field, greenhouse, and lab research environments.

• 2 years of experience working with seeds (e.g., seed production, seed research, seed pathology).

• Willingness to obtain a Washington State Department of Agriculture pesticide applicators’ license.

• Successful completion of course(s) in biology, agriculture, or related fields (e.g., plant pathology, entomology, horticulture, and molecular biology).

• Experience in a plant pathology research lab environment

• Experience with seed production, seed pathology, or seed quality testing.

• Knowledge of routine laboratory procedures, including sterile technique and culturing microorganisms.

Area/College: College of Agricultural, Human, and Natural Resource Sciences (CAHNRS)
Department Name: Plant Pathology
Location: Mount Vernon, WA

Application Instructions: Applicants must upload the following required documents to their online application. Application materials should clearly communicate how the applicant meets all required qualifications and additional requirements.

1) Resume
2) Cover Letter

External candidates, upload all documents in the “Application Document” section of your application.

Current WSU Employees (internal candidates), before starting your Workday application, please use these instructions to update your education and experience in your worker profile in Workday. Internal candidates, upload all documents in the “Resume/Cover Letter” section of your application.

Documents may be submitted as one file or separate files. Applicants are encouraged to upload as a PDF, if possible.

Reference contact information will be requested later in the recruitment process through Workday.

Background Check: This position has been designated by the department to require a background check because it requires access to children or vulnerable adults as defined by RCW 74.34, engages in law enforcement, requires security clearance, interacts with WSU students in a counseling or advising capacity, has access to personal identifying and/or financial information, unsupervised access to university buildings/property, or other business-related need. A background check will not be completed until an initial determination of qualification for employment has been made.

Time Type:

Full time

Position Term:

12 Month

Washington State University encourages all qualified candidates to apply, including members of the military and veterans, and persons with disabilities.

WSU employs only U.S. citizens and lawfully authorized non-U.S. citizens. All new employees must show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

WSU is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact Human Resource Services: 509-335-4521 (v), Washington State TDD Relay Service: Voice Callers: 1-800-833-6384; TDD Callers: 1-800-833-6388, 509-335-1259(f), or hrs@wsu.edu.

Notice of Non-Discrimination

In matters of admission, employment, housing or services, or in the educational programs or activities it operates, WSU does not discriminate or permit discrimination by any member of its community against any individual on the basis of sex, race, color, national or ethnic origin, physical disability, mental disability, sensory disability, use of a trained service animal, age, religion, creed, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, honorably discharged veteran, member of the military, or immigration or citizenship status except as authorized by federal or state law, regulation, or government contract.

Inquiries about the application of federal and state laws and regulations (including inquiries regarding the application of Title IX, ADA/Section 504, and implementing regulations), as well as reports and complaints of discrimination and harassment, can be made verbally or in writing to WSU’s Compliance and Civil Rights, the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, or both.

More information, resources, and contact information are available here: https://ccr.wsu.edu/notice-of-nondiscrimination/