CEA Plant Care Associate (Part-Time Contract)

Founded through Flagship Pioneering’s venture creation engine, Terrana Biosciences is a cutting-edge agricultural biotechnology company developing innovative RNA-based products to address global agricultural challenges. We are committed to advancing sustainable farming solutions through precision technologies that ensure environmental safety and regulatory compliance.

Location: Durham, NC

About the role

We are seeking a highly motivated, proactive, and detail-oriented Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Plant Care Associate to join our team in our Research Triangle Park location. This role will support our research team by assisting with maintenance of our greenhouse facilities. The successful candidate is highly organized, comfortable working in a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment, and an integral part of a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary team. Excellent communication, record-keeping, and teamwork will be critical.

Responsibilities

• Support the CEA team by cleaning, bleaching, and maintaining plant production space, equipment, and supplies
• Ensure a clean, safe, well stocked, and organized plant production workspace
• Assist in CEA set up, build-out and maintenance of greenhouse area
• Grow and maintain healthy plants through sowing, germinating, watering, fertilizing, pest control, and monitoring of growth conditions
• Other duties as assigned

Requirements

Basic horticultural skills and experience working with plants in a controlled environment

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of safe greenhouse practices
• Ability to work weekends and occasional holidays as needed
• Ability to lift 50 lbs, work in hot, humid, or bright conditions, and to work on your feet for extended lengths of time
• A high level of initiative and good judgment, adaptive and quick learner, efficient in multi-tasking and troubleshooting
• Attention to detail, including the ability to manage multiple, competing priorities and execute methodically
• A strong self-starter with willingness to adapt to the changing needs of a fast-paced research and development effort
• Experience with Microsoft Office, LIMS, and various software systems
• Strong willingness to learn
• Innovative with an ability to problem-solve

Pay

The pay range for this role is $32 - $36 per hour and the contractor will be employed by a third-party staffing company.

Schedule

Three- or four-month part-time contract, ideally with morning hours up to 20 hours per week (morning to afternoon schedule with 2-3 hours some to most weekends; some flexibility in hours during the week). After that time the position would end or transition to a full-time contract role.

Benefits

Certain employee benefits may be available to the contractor through the staffing company after meeting minimum criteria.