Sugarbeet Advancement Assistant — Research Assistant I

Working/Functional Title

Sugarbeet Advancement Assistant

Position Summary

Michigan State University Extension is committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive organization, which requires all staff to contribute towards a vision for success. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to our work, regardless of title or position within the organization. This means that all staff at MSU Extension are dedicated to the following: 

• We work together to ensure that programming is delivered to diverse audiences, produces equitable impacts for all participants, and demonstrates partnership and inclusion for all groups.
• We embrace that it is everyone’s job to create a culture that promotes diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.
• We ensure that every team member is prepared with the skills and resources to contribute to our welcoming and inclusive culture.
• We foster inclusion by recognizing and valuing diverse perspectives, skills, experiences, and work to create equal access to programming for communities.
• We commit to continuous learning for diversity, equity, and cultural competency, in order to achieve inclusive excellence.
• We understand that diversity, equity, and inclusion are essential elements to our work and are vital to the organizational culture and programmatic success of MSU Extension.
• We embrace a culture of understanding, coaching and feedback towards achieving a vision of success for the entire organization and its staff.
• Together we will achieve success and we commit to these goals in our work, continued education, and ongoing efforts. 

 

POSITION SUMMARY

Assists in overseeing and coordinating laboratory and/or field operations, assists in planning and designing experiments, conducts experiments and summarize resultant data to participate in conducting research projects. The position is also expected to assist and support the outreach portion of Sugarbeet Advancement. 

As part of MSU Extension, the Agriculture and Agribusiness Institute (AABI), the assistant will work as part of the Sugarbeet Advancement Team to implement field research, monitoring, and inventory projects in cooperation with project principal investigators (PIs). The mission of Sugarbeet Advancement is to generate research and utilize education to enhance productivity and profitability of the Great Lakes sugar beet industry. This will be accomplished through a cooperative effort involving Michigan State University, Michigan Sugar Company, Producers and Agribusiness. The Sugarbeet Advancement Committee will be active in identifying research needs, conducting educational programming, and identifying promotional and financial support to accomplish established goals.  

 

In this position, the candidate will help identify agronomic research priorities and plan and coordinate research efforts. Design, oversee and conduct field scale sugarbeet research trials. Interpret and analyze data, produce research reports and develop educational materials. This position will oversee planting of field trials, at the field level, per design and protocol(s). In addition, the position will complete field evaluations to include collecting stand counts, disease counts, ratings, yield data and support data review and compilation during the trial period and year to year. The position will be operating agriculture equipment including but not limited to a John Deere Gator or similar equipment, Mechanical Front Wheel Drive (MFWD) tractor and dump cart. This work will take place in both Michigan and Canada, requiring travel between the US and Canada. A valid, unexpired enhanced driver's license or passport is necessary for this travel.

 

This position may be eligible to utilize a flexible work environment, however, there is an expectation to work from a MSU Extension County office. The needs, responsibilities, and opportunities of an individual’s position and office location drive the ability and amount of work-location flexibility.

This position will be housed at the Saginaw Valley Research and Extension Center, Frankenmuth MI. (Non-union position.)

This is a full-time, end-dated appointment, renewable annually based upon continued funding.

 

Characteristic Duties/Responsibilities

• Assists in coordinating research and laboratory and/or field operations in order to meet research goals.
• Performs experimental tests and assays and records and analyzes results to provide conclusive data for research projects.
• Consults with research supervisor to assist in planning and designing experiments.
• Compiles and summarizes results and participates in preparing reports, manuscripts, and articles for publication.