Part-Time Research Assistant - SEAREC Intern II - Grab Lab

Job Description and Position Requirements

The Grab lab in the department of Entomology is looking for undergraduate research assistants to help us conduct studies on the ecology of insects in agricultural systems. This position is based at the Southeast Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Manheim, PA. Projects include investigating ecologically based pest management strategies for vegetable crops and developing smart traps for monitoring and mapping sweet corn pests. Undergraduate research assistants will work directly with graduate students, senior researchers, extension educators and growers.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Collaboratively design experimental protocols
• Collect and curate data
• Learn data analysis techniques in R and conduct analyses
• Share results of research work with the public, scientific and stakeholder audiences through presentations, written and online communications

Requirements

• Must have a car and be able to travel between the extension center and grower farms across the region

Qualifications

• Undergraduate students who are not previously employed at the university
• Strong interest in entomology and agriculture
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively
• Basic knowledge of R programming language

Skills

• Data analysis using R
• Effective communication skills
• Ability to work in a team environment

Benefits

• Opportunities to work with experienced researchers and professionals
• Hands-on experience in agricultural research
• Opportunities to present findings at conferences and workshops

Pay

The starting rate for this job is $18.31 per hour.

Application Instructions

To apply, please click “Apply” and complete the application process for external applicants. Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.

Current Penn State employees (faculty, staff, technical service, or student) should log in to Workday to complete the internal application process. Current Penn State students (not employed previously at the university) seeking employment with Penn State should also log in to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.