Research Technician - Farm Operations

Overview

The Land Institute co‑leads the global movement for perennial, diverse, regenerative grain agriculture at a scale enormity of the intertwined climate, water, and food security crises. An independent 501(c)3 non‑profit founded in 1976, the organization seeks to reconcile the human economy with nature’s economy, starting with food. The transdisciplinary team of scientists, together with global partners, is developing new perennial grain crops, like Kernza©, and diverse cropping systems that function within nature’s limits while researching the social transformation required for a just, perennial human future.

As a Research Technician, you will support and enact the daily field operations of the research programs. You are flexible, as there is a wide variety of tasks and seasonal changes in workflows. Your daily tasks will include plot maintenance, maintaining and installing equipment, and assisting with the training and direction of research assistants. You are a team player and motivated to see more perennial grains on the landscape.

You thrive when managing multiple tasks, projects, and timelines simultaneously under the direction of the Natural Science Research Director/ Farm Manager, sometimes working independently and at other times working collaboratively with research scientists and technicians.

• Initiate, oversee, and maintain research plots through a variety of tasks that include sowing and transplanting, weeding, mowing, irrigating, applying fertilizer, insecticide, fungicide, and herbicide.
• Sample and harvest field plots in accordance with research timelines.
• Process and clean post‑harvest samples, including de‑hulling, threshing, removing chaff, and collecting sample data such as biomass, seed size, thousand‑kernel seed weight, etc.
• Carefully record the time and location of field operations in notebooks, spreadsheets, and online databases; maintain a system of organization consistent with research goals.
• Ensure that equipment and supplies are available, clean, and in good working order before, during, and after use.
• Assist with natural area management as requested, including burning brush control, trail maintenance, and revegetation.
• Help install or remove high tunnels, tunnel covers, weed fabric, plot markers or fences, and temporary irrigation systems.
• Assist with special events, including tent setup and teardown, signage, etc.
• Assist with snow removal and spring campus clean‑up.

Maintain relationships, communication, and coordination between farm, operations, and research staff.

• Direct & oversee the work of research assistants in the field and seed cleaning tasks, as well as assisting with any necessary training.
• Help with post‑harvest sample cleaning and help coordinate the use of cleaning equipment with research programs.
• Manage the Land Institute’s shared seed threshing/cleaning facilities, including space organization & scheduling, equipment maintenance & storage, and user training. This role could be expanded to include other specialized equipment or facilities that are designated for research.
• Research and make recommendations about equipment features and integrations between equipment, and about new equipment purchase options.
• Help to refine field and sample processing protocols.

• Participate in The Land Institute’s diversity initiatives.
• Develop, maintain, and honor relationships with diverse groups and people.
• Build relationships with diverse partners with a mind toward further collaboration.

• Mission Driven:
  You are passionate about the mission of The Land Institute and are interested in aligning your skills and personal genius to benefit this work.
• Courageous:
  You do not retreat or shy away from hard things. You face challenges and conflict with professionalism, grace, and resolve.
• A Boundary Spanner:
  You bring an interdisciplinary skill set, and you model self‑awareness in your own preferences. You are motivated to always be learning, and you adapt to span boundaries with people across a range of…