PURPOSE OF THE POSITION:
Under the direction of the Station Manager, the Seasonal Operations Research Assistant executes tasks and projects of the Operations, Breeding, and Research teams

POSITION DESCRIPTION SUMMARY:
The Seasonal Operations Research Assistant will provide support for the AMPA Operations, Breeding, and Research programs, including specific project management and breeding program logistics management. Assist the multiple programs in all aspects of seed management and movement, design of field and greenhouse trials, planting, evaluation, and database management. Supervise farm and greenhouse crews and collaborate closely with operations, breeding, and research staff including the seed resource manager, research station operations, pathologists, breeders, growers, genotyping group, labor management, cell biologist, product development and sales representatives

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.
• Independently and collaboratively implements breeding, operations, and research objectives and processes, with the respective team manager's guidelines: crossing blocks, variety and inbred evaluations, field and greenhouse data collection, disease screening, basic seed operation, results analysis, project management, coordination of offsite activity, seed harvesting and cleaning, seed storage and database management
• Independently and collaboratively manages and assist as needed in the basic operations and activities of the plant breeding program: list preparation, seed prep, seed sowing, marker sampling, planting, pollination, evaluation, seed and plot harvest, seed shipping domestic and internationally
• Manage breeding database and seed inventory
• Receive and distribute seeds for seed production, variety trials, product development and marketing etc.
• Coordinate seed productions of advanced breeding lines with parent seed supply manager
• Execute greenhouse and field trial design, planting, trial evaluation and seed harvest
• Coordinate with field and greenhouse crew in seeding, transplanting, crossing blocks, and seed harvest
• Collaborate with plant pathologist, genotyping team in project submission, result tracking and data entry

Required knowledge & Skills
• Candidate must be an effective communicator both orally and in writing, possess a working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, Powerpoint and Access.
• Able to travel domestically and internationally as needed
• Self-starting, independent and capable of effective work in groups.
• Interested in a dynamic work environment where daily activity changes according to planting cycle. Able to handle multiple projects simultaneously. Able to deal with frequent change, delays, or unexpected events.
• Exhibit sound and accurate judgment. Accept personal responsibility for task fulfillment and job performance.
• Spanish language skill is a plus.

Education & work experience required:
• Bachelor's degree in plant sciences, crop management or related field is a plus
• Experience in an agricultural working environment is a plus


Miscellaneous:
• Reports to: Station Manager
• Supervisory responsibilities: None
• Status: Non-Exempt
• Internal relations: HM.Clause R&D division, Sales, Product Development
• External relations: Growers, Seed distributors, Academic research programs.