Research Associate

The School of Plant and Environmental Sciences (SPES) at Virginia Tech seeks a Research Associate to support the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Innovation Center, a partnership between Virginia Tech and the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) located in Danville, Virginia. The primary work location is Danville, Virginia.

About the role

This position is supported through the funded project sponsored by the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission, Meeting the Need of the CEA Industry Through Testing Services and Educational Material Development (2026–2028), and will play a key role in expanding research, testing services, educational programming, and technology adoption within the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) industry. The Research Associate will lead the implementation and management of applied research as well as projects in industry-sponsored trials with greenhouse, indoor vertical farm, hydroponic, lighting, automation, environmental control, and agricultural technology companies to evaluate products, technologies, and production practices.

The incumbent will collaborate with industry partners, faculty, graduate students, and research staff to develop testing protocols, conduct research, collect and analyze data, develop technical reports, and communicate findings. In addition to overseeing industry-sponsored trials, the Research Associate will contribute to scholarly outputs, including peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations, and will support Virginia Cooperative Extension programming through the development of educational materials, such as factsheets. A long-term goal of this position is to help establish a sustainable testing service program that supports the continued growth of the regional and national CEA industry.

Responsibilities

• Lead implementation and management of applied research and industry-sponsored trials in controlled environment agriculture (CEA).
• Collaborate with industry partners, faculty, graduate students, and research staff to develop testing protocols.
• Conduct research, collect and analyze data, and develop technical reports.
• Communicate research findings to stakeholders.
• Contribute to scholarly outputs, including peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations.
• Support Virginia Cooperative Extension programming through the development of educational materials (e.g., factsheets).
• Work toward establishing a sustainable testing service program for the CEA industry.

Requirements

• Master's degree in Horticulture, Plant Science, Crop Science, Controlled Environment Agriculture, Agricultural Engineering, Biological Systems Engineering, Environmental Science, or a closely related field.
• Experience conducting agricultural, horticultural, greenhouse, hydroponic, or indoor vertical farm research.
• Experience with experimental design, data collection, and data management.
• Demonstrated ability to analyze and interpret research data.
• Strong technical writing, scientific communication, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively within a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to work in greenhouse and indoor agricultural environments and perform routine physical tasks associated with crop production and research activities.
• Ability to traverse uneven terrain and walk, stand, stoop, and bend for long periods.
• Ability to lift, move, and carry equipment at or above 25 pounds.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience conducting research in microbiology, plant pathology, or a related field.
• Experience working directly with agricultural producers, industry stakeholders, or commercial partners.
• Experience with statistical analysis and graphing software, such as R.
• Record of contributing to peer-reviewed publications.

Pay

$57,783 – $65,000 annually.

Schedule

40 hours per week. Overtime status: exempt (not eligible for overtime).

Additional information: The primary work location is Danville, Virginia. The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.