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Field Research Technician

California State University at Monterey Bay

Field Research Technician

University Corporation at Monterey Bay

Salary: $5,500.00 - $6,600.00 Monthly

Job Number: 2024-00043

Location: Various Field Locations (see posting)

Department: Applied Environmental Science

Description

Field Research TechnicianWater, Agriculture, Technology and Remote Sensing (WATRS) Lab NASA Ames Research Center / CSUMB Department of Applied Environmental Science This position is dependent upon grant funds. Subject to annual NASA review Position December 1, 2024 through November 30, 2025

Priority Screening Deadline: November, 12 2024, all positions are open until filled

The University Corporation at Monterey Bay (“Corporation”): The Corporation is constantly looking for motivated employees with great organization and teamwork skills to join our team. The Corporation is a non-profit institution that is related and affiliated with the California State University, Monterey Bay. The University Corporation at Monterey Bay is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) public benefits corporation that is a recognized auxiliary organization of California State University and was established in July 1994. The University Corporation's mission is to further the educational purposes of the University. The University Corporation at Monterey Bay is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building a pluralistic university by hiring personnel with competencies and experience related to the regional and State Population. The University Corporation at Monterey is committed to a standard of excellence in the services it provides and in the quality of work expected of its employees.

The University: California State University, Monterey Bay is a mid-sized university in California's Central Coast that grants undergraduate and graduate degrees. Powered by an inspiring Founding Vision Statement, CSUMB is part of the nation's largest four-year public university system, California State University, which educates nearly 460,000 students every year. With a vibrant, diverse student body of over 7,000 students, CSU Monterey Bay is both a Minority Serving Institution and a Hispanic Serving Institution. Our staff and faculty transform students' lives with a focus on student success and engagement through experiential learning, service learning, and a strong emphasis on multicultural and global perspectives. CSUMB's sustainability goal is to be carbon neutral by 2030.

The Community: Monterey, with its moderate Mediterranean climate, is a diverse community on the picturesque central coast of California and rich in agriculture. Miles of beautiful beaches, spectacular mountain ranges, groves of redwoods, low-rolling foothills, and scenic valleys are characteristics that contribute to the quality of life enjoyed by over 432,000 residents and millions of visitors. Boasting such world-renowned attractions as the spectacular Big Sur Coast, Laguna Seca Raceway, 17-Mile Drive, Monterey Bay Aquarium, Cannery Row, the Steinbeck Center, the Monterey Jazz and Blues Festivals and Pebble Beach - possibly the world's most famous golf course, it's easy to see why so many choose to live here and an estimated four million visitors a year make the County of Monterey their destination of choice.

POSITION SUMMARY

Under the general direction of the Principal Investigator under the NASA ARC-CREST Cooperative Agreement, the Research Technician is responsible for conducting scientific research, deploying and maintaining instrumentation in the field, publishing scientific papers, and presenting research results at scientific conferences. Project focus: field measurement of agricultural water resources, with an emphasis on evapotranspiration, cover cropping, vegetation water stress and irrigation management. The main objective of the research is to lead field data and accurately quantify evapotranspiration from agricultural lands and incorporate evapotranspiration data into: 1) irrigation management practices; 2) assessments of cover crop extent and water use; 3) assessment of irrigated and fallowed agricultural acreage; and 4) vegetation water stress in agricultural and rangeland land cover types. This position is within the Water, Agriculture, Technology and Remote Sensing (WATRS) lab and will work closely with scientists at NASA Ames Research Center.

Examples of Duties

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include. but are not limited to. the following:

• Work with the Principal Investigator (PI), scientists and software engineers in WATRS lab to deploy and maintain eddy covariance instrumentation, soil moisture sensors, flow meters, and meteorological instrumentation in agricultural fields and rangeland areas in the Salinas Valley and Central Valley of California.

• Analyze eddy covariance data and author manuscripts assessing the accuracy of satellite-based ET datasets using the eddy covariance data and other ground observations.

• Conduct research on measurement of fallowed field and cover crop ET rates.

• Work with agricultural producers and irrigators to expand use of ET data in irrigation management practices.

• Author peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts, research and technical reports, and research proposals.

• Present research results and scientific meetings and to partners and stakeholders at workshops and meetings.

• Foster and maintain collaborative links with local groups and individuals, including agricultural producers, water resource management agencies, research organizations, and the public.OTHER FUNCTIONS

• Promotes and maintains an atmosphere of excellent internal and external customer service within the department and the campus community.

• Attends workshops, conferences as needed

• Mentor student research assistants on scientific best practices related to field work, data collection, and data organization.

• Performs other duties as assigned.

• Assists with other projects as needed.

PHYSICAL WORK ENVIRONMENT

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Primary functions require sufficient physical ability and mobility to work in an office setting; to stand or sit for prolonged periods of time; to occasionally stoop, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and twist; to lift, carry, push, and/or pull light to moderate amounts of weight; to operate office equipment requiring repetitive hand movement and fine coordination including use of a computer keyboard; to verbally communicate to exchange information.

WORK LOCATION

• On-Site Position

• Work Location: NASA/Ames Research Center/CSUMB, Applied Env. Sci.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

The position requires skills and previous experience quantification of evapotranspiration using eddy covariance instrumentation in agricultural environments, familiarity with soil moisture sensors and meteorological instrumentation, data quality control and quality assurance, Python programming, geospatial analysis using ArcGIS software, public speaking, planning and coordinating tasks remotely and in-person, and demonstrated ability to work well with a diverse team of scientists and software engineers. The candidate should have excellent verbal and written communication skills. Candidate must be capable of working in exposed agricultural settings, as well as in an interdisciplinary scientific atmosphere.

• Demonstrated ability to address the essential functions associated with this position including the knowledge and abilities identified above.

• Flexible working hours. Ability to complete and pass on-line defensive driving training. Must continue to meet the established driving standards as a condition of employment.

• Ability to travel for extended time periods to conduct field research and maintain equipment. The position will require multiple field campaigns in rural areas extending up to 2-4 days each month.

• Ability to safely operate a 4WD vehicle on farm roads

Qualifications

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education and Experience:

Equivalent to a Master's Degree in Geography, Hydrology, Earth Systems Science, Environmental Science, Marine Science, Plant and Soil Science, Agronomy, Biology, or a closely related field AND relevant scientific experience in technology and/or science industries involving sensor networks, plant biology, computing, analysis, and data processing. Previous experience with the following is also required: i) Use of Campbell Scientific data loggers and micrometeorological instrumentation, and eddy covariance techniques to quantify evapotranspiration; ii) Installation and maintenance of soil moisture sensors and experience with data processing and analysis; iii) Ability to program in Python to automate processing and analysis of micrometeorological data; iv) Experience using ArcGIS to process satellite and meteorological data and generate datasets and maps; v) experience with public speaking and presentation of scientific results to a variety of audiences.

DESIRABLE QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated understanding of and commitment to the CSUMB Vision Statement and the core values of mutual respect, collaboration and service orientation, multiculturalism and diversity, community service and institutional excellence.

Special Conditions of Employment

SPECIAL CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT

The person holding this position is considered a “mandated reporter” under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

A background check (including a criminal records check) must be completed satisfactorily before any candidate can be offered a position with the University Corporation. The University Corporation at Monterey Bay will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act. You do not need to disclose your criminal history or participate in a background check until a conditional job offer is made to you. After making a conditional offer and running a background check, if the University Corporation at Monterey Bay is concerned about the conviction that is directly related to the job, you will be given the fair chance to explain the circumstances surrounding the conviction, provide mitigating evidence, or challenge the accuracy of the background report. Find out more about the Fair Chance Act by visiting the Civil Rights Department Fair Chance Act https://calcivilrights.ca.gov/fair-chance-act/.

This position will have a duty to report to the Campus Title IX Officer information pertaining to victims of sex discrimination, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, dating/domestic violence, and stalking as required by CSU Executive Order 1095.

The University Corporation at Monterey Bay is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, disability, marital status, or protected veteran status. This position is required to maintain confidentiality as outlined in the Department of Education's Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and California's Educational Code Chapter 13 regarding sensitive student issues. Our Equal Opportunity Policy Statement is available https://csumb.edu/corporation/personnel/.

Please note: University Corporation employment is separate and distinct from CSU Monterey Bay or State of California employment. University Corporation employees are not employees of either CSUMB or of the state of California.

All employees must be eligible for employment in the U.S. The University Corporation is not a sponsoring agency for any positions.

University Corporation at Monterey Bay positions are “at-will” employment.

CSUMB is a smoke and tobacco-free campus.

The campus leadership has committed the resources needed to achieve an engaged, safe, and in-person experience. The health and safety of our community remain our highest priority, and we are confident that existing public health measures provide for a safe environment capable of delivering a complete college experience on the CSUMB campus. Being an Otter means caring for each other and doing your part to protect your community.

In compliance with state and federal crime awareness and campus security legislation, including The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act, California Education Code section 67380, and the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA), the Cal State University, Monterey Bay Annual Security and Fire Safety Report is available at https://csumb.edu/clery.

Sensitive Positions - This position has been designated as a sensitive position with:

FERPA:

• This position is required to comply with confidentiality requirements outlined in the Department of Education's Family Educational Rights and Privacy and California's Educational Code Chapter 13 regarding sensitive student issues.

Clery Act:

• This position is designated as a Campus Security Authority (CSA). The position is required to participate in training at the direction of the Clery Director and must also promptly report allegations of reportable crimes according to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, its accompanying regulations; the California State Education Code, Chapter 15.5, of the Donahoe Higher Education Act, Section 67380; and the California State University system-wide policy, Code EO 1107. CSAs are employees whose job duties fall into one of the following categories:

• Work in a campus police or security department

• Are responsible for campus security

• Are designated as the contact for reporting criminal offenses

• Have significant responsibility for student and campus activities

Special License or Certifications and Conditions:

• Must possess and maintain a valid license to drive in the State of California, pass the Defensive Training Class, and be insurable under the University's liability coverage.

• May require occasional evenings and/or weekend work.

Questions can be sent to: mailto:hr_corporation@csumb.edu.

SALARY AND BENEFITS

The University Corporation is committed to providing our employees with a comprehensive program that rewards efforts that are appreciated by your colleagues, students, and the customers we serve. Salary placement is determined by the education, experience, and qualifications the candidate brings to the position, internal equity, and the hiring department's fiscal resources. Our salary schedule is available https://csumb.edu/corporation/personnel/.

The monthly hiring range for this position is $5,500 - $6,600. Classification: Grade 6, Staff. This is a exempt position and as such is not eligible for the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The Corporation offers a rich benefits package that constitutes a major portion of total compensation. Benefits include medical, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits, contributory retirement plan, TSA (403b), and other benefits. Please review our https://drive.google.com/file/d/16D-fzYJbRtI-vkukKoGLIsfb4ikbOZpF/view?usp=sharing for details about sick time, vacation, and holidays.

The Corporation also offers access to CSUMB's Faculty & Staff Meal Plans, which offers convenience, value, flexibility, to our all-you-can-to-eat dining commons, showcasing eight brand new dining concepts for an affordable price.

The University Corporation at Monterey Bay also provides access to affordable campus housing: https://csumb.edu/corporation/employee-housing

Although CSUMB is located in a high-cost housing area, Schoonover Park rental homes are affordably priced. Monthly rent rates include cable television, garbage service, and sewer. Convenient floorplans, attractive interior appointments, and numerous community amenities make Schoonover Park Rental Homes an exceptional value. Schoonover Park is near the main campus, yet a tranquil world away. The community lies nestled in the secluded beauty of rolling coastal hills three miles east of campus. Living in one of the most desirable areas of California, you will enjoy the natural splendor and cultural abundance of the Monterey Peninsula. Quality of life begins with your home in Schoonover Park and extends through every aspect of your California coastal lifestyle. https://www.schoonoverparkapartments.com

How to apply:

All prospective applicants must apply online. You must complete the entire application for submission. We only accept applications for the open positions listed. Please do not fax or mail in a printed version of the electronic applications or a resume in lieu of an application. If you are having difficulty applying or need assistance, please call (831) 582-3389. All positions are open until filled. The completed online application and resume must be submitted by 5:00 pm PST on the priority screening date. Applications received after this date will be reviewed at the discretion of the Corporation.

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: The Corporation is an Equal Opportunity-Affirmative Action employer seeking to recruit and support a broadly diverse community of faculty and staff. We value and celebrate diversity in all its forms and strive to foster an inclusive culture built on respect that affirms inter-group relations and builds cohesion. We consider qualified applicants for employment for their anticipated contributions and without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, genetic information, medical condition, pregnancy, marital status, veteran status, or disability.

To apply, please visit https://apptrkr.com/5765289

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