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Position Summary:
Primary responsibilities of this position are to provide technical support for horticulture, viticulture, and grape pathology research and extension projects. Specific duties may include, but are not limited to seasonal maintenance including dormant pruning and summer growth management, crop load and pest management, experimental site selection, and field plot establishment, initiation of experiments, application of registered and experimental pesticides, collecting, recording, tabulation, and analysis of data from many different types of biological experiments and formatting MS Word and Excel files. Manage time and coordinate labor to meet the needs for treatment application and data collection of time-sensitive experiments. Coordinate with other technical staff and faculty and occasionally assist with other projects and contribute to Center maintenance. Supervise wage employees in the above tasks and/or work in tandem with other classified staff and students in a team environment.

Required Qualifications:
BS/BA degree in horticulture or related plant sciences. Familiarity with common horticultural greenhouse and laboratory techniques, knowledge in safe use of laboratory and field equipment, and a valid motor vehicle operator's license. Safe driving and acceptable conviction checks are required of the successful candidate. Verbal and writing skills are required to be a competent supervisor and to project a professional and academic atmosphere. Demonstrated ability to manage and supervise self, other staff, and physical resources is required. Commercial pesticide applicator training and certification, as well as additional safety training will be required of the successful applicant for this position. Familiarity with MS Office Word and Excel.

Preferred Qualifications:
MS degree in horticulture or related plant science field; or a BS/BA degree and four years of experience in related fields. Working knowledge of apple, peach, cherry and grape growing practices, including the underlying principles of dormant pruning, nutrition, canopy management goals (pruning), crop load management techniques and effective pest management. Competency with orchard machinery, including safe operation of a 30-to 60-hp tractor, airblast sprayers, pesticide use, and brush chopper/mowers. Experience with common laboratory equipment, such as electronic scales, pH meter, pipets, and laboratory chemicals is expected. Minimum computer competency to consist of familiarity with PC/Windows operating system, SAS statistical package, entering of experimental data, written records of trial progress, and presentation of basic summary statistics in a tabular form.



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