Principal Agricultural Technician (8540C), College of Natural Resources - #77541

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Departmental Overview

The Oxford Tract Facility provides agricultural facilities and services to support the teaching, outreach, and research efforts of 50+ faculty from the UC Berkeley campus, Berkeley Lab, and outside users. Under supervision of the facility manager, the Principal Agricultural Technician will serve as lead greenhouse technician for a team of staff and student assistants. The principal agricultural technician will coordinate with the greenhouse team to prepare, maintain, and clean research space in the greenhouses, lath houses, growth chambers, and labs; and be a backup to the manager for repairs and capital renewal projects with campus trades. Assist manager in implementing and enforcing worksite safety protocols and regulations, including Worker Protection Standard training for all greenhouse users. The Principal Agricultural Technician will assist the manager with pest control every week, developing and implementing the integrated pest management plan, including pesticide application, for the greenhouses, growth chambers, and fields. The Principal Agricultural Technician will also be the secondary/backup liaison between RCNR and the Gill Tract Community Farm.

The Principal Agricultural Technician provides facility and horticultural expertise to support plant and social science research for UC Berkeley faculty, staff, students, and volunteers. Under the supervision of the facility manager, the principal ag technician performs pest control, and cares for plants, monitors facilities, supervises students and act as 'lead' for career staff. They also setup and instruct others on custom irrigation, lighting, and plant growth chambers for research and teaching.

Application Review Date

The First Review Date for this job is: April 22, 2025

Responsibilities

Greenhouse Operations and Research Materials

• Greenhouse maintenance: Monitor and operate growth chambers, horticultural lighting, irrigation, fertilizer injection, and environmental control systems; and equipment including autoclave, forklift.
• Water and monitor plants: Including weekends and holidays, using hand, drip, flood, sprinkler, and fertilizer injection systems.
• Conduct weekly recharge/space assessment.
• Greenhouse safety: Complete required training on equipment, chemical inventory, safety inspections, and UC-required training.
• Consult with researchers to develop and implement project-specific installations and modifications, including irrigation systems, horticultural lighting, benches, and shading.

Integrated Pest Management

• Recognize, identify, and diagnose common greenhouse pests and diseases through weekly scouting.
• Implement corrective measures using chemical, mechanical, biological, and other methods after consultation with research staff and/or facility manager.
• Perform weekly pesticide applications safely and in accordance with UC, local, state, and federal regulations.
• Implement plant biosafety containment measures such as rodent control, autoclaving, sanitation, and plant monitoring.
• Administer Worker Protection Standard training for facility users.
• Continuously maintain a valid CADPR Qualified Applicator License (QAL) categories B and D during employment, including completing necessary renewals.
• Submit pesticide use reports to CADPR.
• Repair and troubleshoot pesticide application equipment.

Serve as Lead

• Act as staff lead and contact person in the absence of the facility manager.
• Supervise, assign tasks, and train student assistants with responsibility for the quality and quantity of work.
• Develop and refine training materials and procedures for career staff and student assistants.
• Serve on interview committees for student assistant and career greenhouse/facilities staff.
• Plan and confer with researchers and manager on specific and long-range project needs.

Facilities Management

• Monitor and identify issues; coordinate repairs with the Facility Manager and campus trades (Facilities Services).
• Purchasing: Source, research, and ensure compliance with university purchasing procedures (may be a Blucard holder and fuel card user).

Required Qualifications

• 3-6 years' experience with routine and specialized greenhouse and/or closely related horticultural practices with a wide range of plants.
• Ability to perform physical labor under often strenuous conditions, including extreme heat
• Ability to independently lift and carry 40 pounds
• Demonstrated skills to design, construct, operate, train others on, and supervise the use of greenhouse environmental controls, irrigation controllers, horticultural lighting, timers, fertilizer injection equipment, shop tools and other equipment and supplies used for plant science research and teaching.
• Ability to work well with minimal supervision, and to work in a team
• Ability to prioritize assignments under pressure
• Ability to access, use, and improve online forms (pdfs; Google Forms, Docs, and Sheets; MS Office)
• Effective communication and organizational skills
• Ability to wear a respirator, including any required occupational assessments
• Ability to recognize, identify common greenhouse pests and diseases and safely apply pesticides to control target organisms while minimizing hazards to humans, plants, and beneficial organisms.
• Knowledge of and/or ability to learn UC and California Department of Pesticide Regulation laws and regulations, pesticide labels, SDS, manuals, and policies.
• Skills to lead, train, and delegate duties to students.
• Ability to work with culturally and academically diverse group of people.
• Ability to obtain a CADPR Qualified Applicator License within the first 6 months of employment
• Excellent work attendance record

Education/Training:

• Ability to read, write and perform basic arithmetic calculations; five years of agricultural experience in all phases of cultural operations including heavy and/or complex equipment operation and/or supervisory responsibility; or a demonstrated ability to perform in a highly skilled specialization; and knowledges and abilities essential to the successful performance of the duties assigned to the position.

Licenses/Certifications:

• California Department of Pesticide Regulation Qualified Applicators Certificate or License (QAC/QAL) AND/OR ability to obtain within 6 mo. of hire.
• Valid forklift certification AND/OR ability to obtain within 6 mo. of hire.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with transgenic plants
• Experience with pesticide applications and application equipment
• Six years' of greenhouse, nursery, or horticulture experience; or technical horticultural education and three years' horticultural experience

Salary & Benefits

For information on the comprehensive benefits package offered by the University, please visit the University of California's Compensation & Benefits website.

Under California law, the University of California, Berkeley is required to provide a reasonable estimate of the compensation range for this role and should not offer a salary outside of the range posted in this job announcement. This range takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, analysis of internal equity, and other business and organizational needs. It is not typical for an individual to be offered a salary at or near the top of the range for a position. Salary offers are determined based on final candidate qualifications and experience.

• The budgeted hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position is $27.74 - $31.86, Steps 7.0 - 14.0. This is a non-exempt, bi-weekly paid position.
• This is a full-time, Career position that is eligible for full UC benefits.
• This position is governed by the terms and conditions in the agreement for the Service Unit (SX) between the University of California and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). The current bargaining agreement manual can be found at:
  http://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/labor/bargaining-units/sx/index.html

How to Apply

To apply, please submit your resume and cover letter.

Conviction History Background

This is a designated position requiring fingerprinting and a background check due to the nature of the job responsibilities. Berkeley does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities. The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check.

Driving Required

Required to hold valid driver's license, have a driving record that is in accordance with local policies/procedures, and/or enroll in the California Employer Pull Notice Program.

SB 791 and AB 810 Misconduct Disclosure

As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct with a previous employer.

"Misconduct" means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:

UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
UC Anti-Discrimination Policy
Abusive Conduct in the Workplace

Other Information

This is not a visa opportunity.

Equal Employment Opportunity
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. For more information about your rights as an applicant, please see the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission poster.

The University of California's Affirmative action policy.
The University of California's Anti-Discrimination policy.