Research Technician – Potato Breeding Farm Operations Tech
Appointment: Full-time, regular, 40 hrs/week
Schedule: Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Pay: $18.13/hour or applicable transfer rate per ACSUM agreement
About the role
Join a hands-on team advancing potato breeding and production. You will keep our field, greenhouse, and specialized research equipment running, support planting and harvest, help manage chemical inventories, and assist with data collection and sample evaluations. Your work keeps research operations smooth, safe, and productive.
Essential Duties
- Operate and maintain equipment
- Run, maintain, and perform minor repairs on field and harvest equipment, trucks, and specialized research tools
- Prepare equipment for the growing season and for winter storage
- Greenhouse and field support
- Ready greenhouse spaces for seasonal use
- Perform greenhouse tasks such as plant crossing, planting, and harvesting from pots
- Prepare seed potatoes for planting
- Collect samples and data in field, greenhouse, lab, and grading facilities
- Quality and storage
- Conduct yield and quality evaluations on research potato samples
- Monitor and maintain controlled-environment potato storage lockers
- Compliance and organization
- Inventory agricultural pesticides and organize the pesticide storage area
- Team and operations
- Support day-to-day research activities and perform other related duties as assigned
Qualifications (Required)
- High school diploma or equivalent (G.E.D.) and at least one year of farm operations experience
- Valid Maine driver’s license and ability to obtain a Maine CDL within one year of hire
- Proven ability to operate field equipment, trucks, and specialized research equipment used in agriculture, with emphasis on potato systems
- Ability to calibrate equipment and perform routine maintenance and minor repairs on field, storage, and research equipment
- Ability to lift 50 lbs
- Willingness to work in field, greenhouse, laboratory, and grading spaces in variable conditions, including weather and dust
- Patience and accuracy for detailed, routine research tasks such as planting, weighing, grading, slicing, frying, cutting, packaging, and counting
- Strong listening skills and ability to follow instructions so tasks are completed correctly
- Effective communication and teamwork skills
Application Instructions
To be considered, click the link below and upload:
- Cover letter describing your experience, interests, and fit
- Resume/CV
Candidates advancing to the final stages will be asked to provide references. Incomplete applications cannot be considered. Materials received after the initial review date may be reviewed at the University’s discretion.
For full consideration, submit by 4:30 p.m. EST on December 1, 2025.
Questions? Contact the search committee chair, Mario Andrade, at mario.murad@maine.edu or 207-581-2997 / 352-328-8191.