Senior Herd Caretaker - Middle TN AgResearch & Education Center at Lewisburg: UTIA

Provide for the daily care and welfare of bulls consigned to the University of Tennessee Bull Evaluation Program and provide support to the Tennessee Beef Heifer Development Program and other research projects. In addition, maintain open communication and professional interactions with the consigning public involved with the Bull Evaluation Program.

• Responsible for the daily care and welfare of livestock (particularly within the Bull Evaluation Center and Tennessee Heifer Development Program). Cleans and maintains work environment/facilities including perimeter and interior livestock fencing, pen, handling facilities and associated livestock equipment.  Completes duties as direct by supervisor including feeding, watering, taking measurements. 
• Responsible for aiding in maintaining feed inventories and records. Observes livestock health and welfare and reports any possible problems to immediate supervisor.  This includes possible illness or uncharacteristic behavior. Position is responsible for maintaining regular animal health protocols.
• Performs farm labor in support of agricultural/agronomic operations (hay production pasture management).
• Pasture maintenance including pasture clipping and carrying out a prescribed spray program.
• Provides support to supervisor in collecting research measures.
• Will be responsible for learning and implementing various objective scores related to animal structure and disposition.

Required Qualifications

• Education: 
  • High School diploma 
• Experience: 
  • Minimum of two years’ experience in farm operations (Family livestock and farm operational experience is accepted).
  • Valid TN Driver’s License

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: 

• Basic knowledge of livestock and agricultural operations.
• Ability to work with large farm animals/livestock. 
• Ability to perform agricultural/manual labor in inclement climatic conditions.
• Ability to safely operate machinery/equipment including tractors, loaders, mowers and spreaders. 
• Ability to work cooperatively and get along well with others
• Attention to Detail

Preferred Qualifications

• Education: 
  • Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture related field
• Experience: 
  • 4 years experience in farm operations and 2 years working with livestock.
  • Beef cattle operations including; cow/calf, stocker, and bull development

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities: 

• Beef cattle artificial insemination qualified, Beef Quality Assurance certified
• Identify sick and injured livestock and ability to begin treatment.

Work Location:

• Primary work location; Onsite at the Middle Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Lewisburg, TN, secondary location at the Middle Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Spring Hill, TN. 

Compensation and Benefits:

• UT market range: MR04
• Anticipated hiring range: Salary is dependent on education and experience.
• Find more information on the UT Market Range structure here
• Find more information on UT Benefits here

Application Instructions:

For best consideration applicants should submit the below materials before April, 28 2025.

• Completed application
• Resume 

About The College/Department/Division:

The Middle Tennessee AgResearch Center, Lewisburg hosts both the Tennessee Beef Heifer Development Program and the University of Tennessee Bull Development and Evaluation program. In addition to these public facing programs MTREC host beef cattle research trials. 

With over 225 years dedicated to education and research, and as one of the 100 largest employers in Tennessee, there is endless potential to discover at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. This advanced academic center comprises 17 degree-granting colleges and schools, 900+ programs of study, 547 graduate programs, and is home to over 7,500 employees statewide who support the continued growth of the state’s flagship land-grant university. The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, Anthropological Research Facility, Space Institute, an