Research Assistant III

Position Details
Position Information

Announcement Number	STAFF - VA - 24285
For questions regarding this position, please contact:	Nina Zidack [email protected] 406-994-6110
Classification Title	Research Asst III
Working Title	Research Assistant III
Brief Position Overview	The laboratory supervisor plans and coordinates diagnostic testing for potato diseases during the summer and during the winter postharvest test. This involves the supervision of temporary staff to perform high-throughput testing in a fast-paced environment, and collection and dissemination of results to growers.
Position Number	4M0392
Department	Plant Sciences
Division	College of Agriculture/MAES
Appointment Type	Classified
Contract Term	Fiscal Year
Semester
If other, specify From date
If other, specify End date
FLSA	Non-Exempt
Union Affiliation	FOCUS-MFPE
FTE	1.0
Benefits Eligible	Eligible
Salary	$18.59 - $23.23 per hour, commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications
Contract Type	Classified Salary
If other, please specify
Recruitment Type	Open

Position Details

General Statement	The MSU Potato Lab is responsible for the certification of potatoes grown for seed. Certification is a voluntary program designed to encourage the production of top-quality seed potatoes through adherence to rigorous testing and inspection requirements, and through research to improve seed potato quality and testing. As part of the certification process, a multitude of functions are conducted by laboratory and inspection staff at MSU.
Duties and Responsibilities	Supervising daily work and routine activities in the potato testing laboratory Supervising summer testing and winter testing; Participating in research projects; Attend selected meetings to represent the Montana Seed Potato Certification and Improvement Program; Preparation of the annual seed potato directory; Assisting with tissue culture programs; Maintaining professional relationships and communications with growers; Maintaining confidentiality of all grower and program information; Maintaining accurate records; Hiring of seasonal crews; Preparation of ELISA testing plates and solutions; Inventorying and ordering chemicals and equipment; Maintenance of lab equipment; Primary contact for MSU Safety and Compliance.
Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills	Bachelor of Science degree in Plant Pathology or closely related field, with a good background in biochemistry. Experience in the use of laboratory equipment such as laminar flow hood, autoclave, centrifuges, electron microscope, and thermal cyclers. Experience accurately maintaining detailed records in a laboratory setting. Educations or experience in routine laboratory procedures, including maintaining sterile work areas and tools. Experience supervising workers.
Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills	Experience working with virus disease testing. Experience working with potatoes and/or potato producers. Experience with tissue culture and/or meristem procedures. Experience with data base management. Experience working with and maintaining molecular diagnostics instruments.
The Successful Candidate Will	The successful candidate for this position will have the ability to follow written verbal instructions, communicate effectively with employees and the public both in person and over the phone, and the ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with co-workers, other professionals and the public.
Position Special Requirements/Additional Information	Will travel in Montana and Nationwide (2-3x/year) to attend selected meetings representing the Montana Seed Potato Certification and Improvement Program. This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
Physical Demands	To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
This position has supervisory duties?	Yes

Posting Detail Information

Number of Vacancies	1
Desired Start Date	Upon completion of a successful search
Position End Date (if temporary)
Open Date
Close Date
Applications will be:	Screening of applications will begin on March 29, 2024; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established.
Special Instructions
Diversity Statement	Montana State University values diverse perspectives and is committed to continually supporting, promoting and building an inclusive and culturally diverse campus environment. MSU recognizes the importance of work-life integration and strives to be responsive to the needs of dual career couples. In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile. MSU’s Non-Discrimination Policy and Discrimination Grievance Procedures can be located on the MSU Website: https://www.montana.edu/hr/recruitment/dualcareer.html