Seed Collection Technician; Native Plant Materials Development Program

Overview

Title: Research Support Staff (Native Plant Materials Development Program, Seed Collection Technician)

Position Number: 0077832T

Hiring Unit: Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation (OVPRI), Office of Land and Ocean Conservation Futures (LOCF)

Location: Schofield Barracks

Date Posted: January 30, 2026

Closing Date: February 20, 2026 @ 11:59pm

Band: Pay Band A (PBA)

Salary: salary schedules and placement information

Additional Salary Information: Commensurate with education and experience, 2 positions available.

Full-Time/Part-Time: Full-Time

Temporary/Permanent: Temporary

Other

Conditions:

This position is annually renewable contingent upon satisfactory performance and/or availability of funding.

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NOTE:

Essential Functions are denoted by bold formatting in the original text)

• Reports to and works under the direction of the Native Plant Materials Development County Specialist (NPMDS) to implement the work plan for the University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa (UHM) Native Plant Materials Development Program. This is a partnership between the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) and the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation (OVPRI).
• Implements and executes standardized protocols for the collection, accessioning, and processing of wild plant materials, specifically targeting the wild seed collections of native workhorse species in remote field locations.
• Monitors and tracks the phenology of target taxa to accurately determine seed collection timing and targets for optimal seed collections from the appropriate geographic locations.
• Ensures methodical execution to carry out wild seed collection and handling protocols in the field, including the collection and preparation of voucher specimens for regional herbarium deposition.
• Collaborates with the Army Natural Resources Program on O‘ahu (ANRPO) Seed Conservation Laboratory to support the development of new and effective seed processing protocols, including the viability testing of incoming collections.
• Supports the wild seed processing workflow, including accessioning, preparing seeds for storage, and accurately entering associated biological and GIS data entry.
• Coordinates site access, logistics, and field activities with partner organizations.
• Assists with the preparation and submission of reports for project funders and agency permits.
• Assists the NPMDS with managing the establishment and maintenance of field sites (e.g., the Office of Hawaiian Affairs’ (OHA) Kukaniloko OHA property and CTAHR’s agricultural research stations) for both stock seed development and bulk seed production. This includes planting, cultivation, harvesting, processing, and facilitating the storage of all stock and bulk seeds.
• Implements plant propagation activities to produce stock plants for field establishment of stock seed plots and/or bulk seed production. Duties include, but are not limited to: seed germination, transplanting seedlings into the appropriate containers, nutrient management, and pest control.
• Under the NPMDS’s supervision, safely applies pesticides and fertilizers in the greenhouse, strictly adhering to all environmental compliance and safety regulations.
• Maintains comprehensive and highly organized documentation in both the field and lab settings, and ensures prompt reporting of all issues and concerns to the PMDS.
• Other duties as assigned.

Education and Professional

Work Experience:

• Possession of a baccalaureate degree in Biological Sciences, Botany, Horticulture, Natural Resource Management, Environmental Science, or related field and two (2) years of progressively responsible professional experience with responsibilities for working with native plant horticulture, agriculture, seed lab, greenhouse, or other biological research projects; or any equivalent education and/or professional work experience which provides the required education, knowledge, skills, and abilities as indicated.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Functional knowledge of principles, practices and techniques in native plant horticulture, agriculture, seed lab, greenhouse, or other biological research…