Research Technician

This position is a part of the Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA).

This position offers a comprehensive benefits package which can be viewed on our Benefits Overview page .

Location: Work primarily located at North Campus, Edmonton.

Working for the University of Alberta

The University of Alberta acknowledges that we are located on Treaty 6 territory, and respects the histories, languages and cultures of First Nations, Métis, Inuit and all First Peoples of Canada, whose presence continues to enrich our vibrant community.

The University of Alberta is teeming with change makers, community builders, and world shapers who lead with purpose each and every day. We are home to more than 40,000 students in 200+ undergraduate and 500+ graduate programs, over 13,000 faculty and staff, 260,000 alumni worldwide and have been recognized as one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for over a decade.

Your work will have a meaningful influence on a fascinating cross section of people—from our students and stakeholders, to our renowned researchers and innovators who are quite literally curing diseases, making discoveries and generating solutions that make the world healthier, safer, stronger, and more just.

Department/Faculty Summary

The Faculty of ALES is made up of 500+ faculty and staff, 1500+ undergraduates and 600+ graduate students. ALES is focused on teaching, research & community service in its departments and schools: Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science; Renewable Resources; Human Ecology; Resource Economics and Environmental Sociology. We have strong academic undergraduate and graduate programs, a large research infrastructure which includes 25,000 acres of farm & ranch land in key ecologies across Alberta, and high-impact research in collaboration with our partners.

Position Summary

Based at the Roy Berg Kinsella Research Ranch in Kinsella, Alberta, this position is responsible for routine feeding, observing, and caring for animals, and also includes a record keeping component. The principal species cared for under this position will be beef cattle, in all growth phases. This position will report on a day to day basis to the Unit Supervisor. Although this position will work under regular supervision, while working alone this position will require some on the spot decision making where the supervisor will not be regularly contacted.

This position is also responsible for animal care, fencing, watering, and facility maintenance on a 12,000 acre ranch. This position will receive supervision instructions from senior staff members of the Roy Berg Kinsella Research Ranch and then arrange their own activities to carry out their daily duties. Regular duties will include cattle handling in a wide range of situations (moving from pasture to pasture, moving into corrals, and weighing, sorting, and confining animals for research studies.

This position will also assist and support in machinery work in relation to cutting, baling, and storing feed that is produced at the Kinsella Ranch. The equipment needs to be maintained on the go, and routine repairs are done as needed.

This position will also be involved in calving 800 range cows. Research data collection requires close contact when moving cows and young calves, and while conducting the initial processing of the calves soon after birth. This position will also be responsible for regular checking and treating of newborn calves after they and their dams have left the calving area.

A significant responsibility will be supporting the unit supervisor with logistics, planning, and coordination of research projects, including working directly with PIs and graduate students on procedural training and research tasks. Additionally, associated record keeping is required to ensure accurate invoices can be provided to PIs for user fees, tech support, and consumable use.

Not all hay required for winter feeding can be produced by the ranch, so a further responsibility will be hauling semi-loads of hay, greenfeed, and straw to various feeding sites on the ranch in the summer and fall.

Duties

• Husbandry of research herds including calving, vaccination, treatments, pasture moves, weaning, and research tasks.
• Mix and deliver feed to cattle both on winter pasture and in feedlots.
• Equipment and facility maintenance.
• Assist senior staff with operation and monitoring of GrowSafe Feed Monitoring System
• Work with unit supervisor, researchers, and graduate students with research project logistics and delivery.
• Hauling hay, greenfeed, and straw from ranch fields and external sources in summer and fall for winter feeding.

Minimum Qualifications

• 2-year diploma in a related field (Beef Production, Range Ecology, Renewable Resource Management)
• Valid Class 1 Driver’s License

Preferred Qualifications

• Training or tickets in construction trades, fabrication trades, or mechanical trades an asset.

Note: Online applications are accepted until midnight Mountain Standard Time of the closing date.

We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those individuals selected for an interview will be contacted.