Assistant Agricultural Research Technician (Dixon Springs) - Animal Sciences

About the role

Work in a team-based environment to perform a wide variety of basic duties in service and support for agricultural animal research, teaching, demonstration, and production.

Responsibilities

• Perform all tasks relating to diet preparation and feeding of animals.
  • This includes receiving, processing, mixing, storing and delivering food.
• Perform all duties related to research protocols and data collection procedures as they pertain to on-going research at assigned unit.
  • This includes the careful maintenance of records for experimental animals as well as for herd animals.
  • This may also include collection of data or specimens for diagnostic or environmental control procedures.
• Conduct cleaning, bedding, and repair of animal pens and other facilities as needed.
  • Conduct routine and periodic maintenance of mechanized equipment, tools, and facilities involved with the unit’s operations.
  • Remove waste, and animals from pens and facilities as required.
• Observe animals regularly, recognizing and reporting changes in eating or drinking habits and general behaviors and outward signs of disease or abnormal appearance/behaviors.
  • Perform duties as they relate to general handling, moving, restraining, providing approved health care and general husbandry of the animals.
    • This may include administration of medications and treatments.
  • Conduct breeding activities as required.
    • Maintain breeding records as required.
  • Prepare livestock for teaching, research, and demonstration purposes.
    • This includes the movement of animals from one location to another, either by walking them or through other means of approved mechanized transport.
• Perform duties as they relate to providing a clean, safe, and professional environment for the animals, fellow employees, the department, and the university.
  • Work schedules may vary according to production requirements with some overtime, weekend and holiday work required.
  • Position involves ability to remain calm in stressful situations and to respond quickly when working with animals.
  • Position involves constantly varying research necessities, regulations, and operational requirements.
  • Research and production requirements impose strict deadlines and must be met.
  • Position involves following laws, regulations, policies and guidelines established by the Department, University, State, and Federal Levels.
• Perform other related duties as required or assigned.
  • May include performing agricultural tillage, crop production, harvesting, and forage/feed processing.
• Interact in a professional and polite manner with faculty, students, other university personnel, and the general public.

Qualifications

• Credentials to be verified by Placement Officer:
  • A high school diploma or equivalent.
  • A valid Illinois vehicle operator’s license(s).
  • Any one or combination totaling two (2) years (24 months) from the categories below:
  • Coursework in agriculture, animal science, crop science, environmental science, or a closely related field as measured by the following conversion table or its proportional equivalent:
  • 30 semester hours equals one (1) year (12 months)
  • Associate’s Degree (60 semester hours) equals eighteen months (18 months)
  • 90 semester hours equals two (2) years (24 months)
  • General agricultural experience as appropriate performing general animal, livestock or related farming duties.

Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge and competency in providing care for and safe handling of agricultural animals or in performing agricultural crop production and research procedures.
• Knowledge of pesticide applications for crops and animals.
• Flexibility, patience, attentiveness, a willingness to cooperate, persistence, and reliability.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions

• Position involves constantly traversing about the facility, remaining in stationary positions for long periods, pushing, and pulling.
• Position frequently involves safely lifting animals or equipment upwards of 50 pounds.
• Position involves ascending ladders and working at heights.
• Exposure to work around grain dust, animal dander, or other normal operating conditions of an animal unit.
• Position may require donning of personal protective equipment as appropriate.
• Contact with animal manure and other substances can occur on a daily basis, which may also be disagreeable to some people.
• Unexpected movements by animals, especially when in close proximities, can result in rapidly changing conditions that require the employee to be acutely aware, to respond appropriately and quickly and to operate with care to avoid personal injuries.

Work Schedule, Travel, Or Other Job Expectations

• Work schedules may vary according to production requirements with some overtime, weekend and holiday work required.
• Position involves ability to remain calm in stressful situations and to respond quickly when working with animals.
• Position involves constantly varying research necessities, regulations, and operational requirements.
• Research and production requirements impose strict deadlines and must be met.
• Position involves following laws, regulations, policies and guidelines established by the Department, University, State, and Federal Levels.

Minimum Qualifications

• Credentials to be verified by Placement Officer:
  • A high school diploma or equivalent.
  • A valid Illinois vehicle operator’s license(s).
  • Any one or combination totaling two (2) years (24 months) from the categories below:
  • Coursework in agriculture, animal science, crop science, environmental science, or a closely related field as measured by the following conversion table or its proportional equivalent:
  • 30 semester hours equals one (1) year (12 months)
  • Associate’s Degree (60 semester hours) equals eighteen months (18 months)
  • 90 semester hours equals two (2) years (24 months)
  • General agricultural experience as appropriate performing general animal, livestock or related farming duties.

Appointment Information

• This is a 100% full-time Civil Service 2211 - Assistant Agricultural Research Technician position, appointed on a 12-month basis.
• The expected start date is as soon as possible after 8/3/2026.
• The collective bargaining agreement sets a wage of $23.63 per hour.

Sponsorship for work authorization is not available for this position

For more information on Civil Service classifications, please visit the SUCSS web site at https://www.sucss.illinois.gov/pages/classspec/default.aspx

Application Procedures & Deadline Information

• Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (Central Time) on August 3 rd , 2026.
• Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting.
• In order to be considered as a transfer candidate, you must apply for this position.
• Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered.
• If required by the position, transcripts or other documentation of credentials are to be provided no later than the first day of employment.