Field Technician

Established over 125 years ago, UQ’s Gatton Campus has a long history – from starting out as a dedicated agricultural institution, to being a field hospital during WWII, and to joining the UQ community in 1990.

Everyone here has a role to play. As a member of our professional staff cohort, you will be actively involved in working towards our vision of a better world. By supporting the academic endeavour across teaching, research, and the student life, you’ll have the opportunity to contribute to activities that have a lasting impact on our community.

Join an organisation where excellence is at the core of our culture, contributions are valued, and a range of benefits and rewards are available, such as:

We are seeking a skilled and innovative Agricultural Research Field Technician to play a crucial role in field operations for the Australian Plant Phenomics Facility (APPF) UQ node. This position requires a unique blend of practical fieldwork skills and technological savvy, with an ability to operate farm machinery such as tractors and irrigators, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and field-based phenotyping platforms. The ideal candidate will have a background in agronomy, with knowledge of weed management, precision agriculture, and a keen interest in applying advanced technology in a field environment, but also within glass houses and control environment in general.

Key responsibilities will include: 

• Operate a variety of agricultural machinery and equipment, including tractors, planters, sprayers, and harvesters, with precision and attention to detail.

• Manage and execute the deployment of UAVs and ground-based phenotyping platforms for research data collection in research trials.

• Operate and oversee irrigation systems, catering applications based on research needs and environmental conditions.

• Collaborate closely with research and farm teams to plan and implement field trials, ensuring alignment with research goals and protocols.

• Apply knowledge of high throughput phenotyping techniques to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of research operations.

• Conduct routine maintenance and minor repairs on equipment, including UAVs, phenotyping platforms.

• Ensure compliance with safety standards and protocols, maintaining a safe working environment for all team members.

• Ensure a high standard of research housekeeping, waste disposal, sample storage and chemical/specimen/sample inventory management.

• Perform standard maintenance of instruments/equipment to ensure optimal performance.

• Assist with designing research studies.

This is a full-time (100%), fixed-term position for 3 years.

At HEW level 6, the full-time equivalent base salary will be in the range $88,099.39 - $94,512.08, plus a generous super allowance of up to 17%. The total FTE package will be up to $103,076.28 - $110,579.13 annually.  As these roles are covered by an Enterprise Agreement, you will also receive regular remuneration increases in line with the Enterprise Agreement.

• Completion of a relevant degree in Agricultural Science or Agronomy with subsequent experience in coordinating activities or an equivalent combination of relevant experience and/or education/training.

• Manual Driver’s licence and appropriate licensing for operating farm vehicles including tractors and other heavy farm machinery, or the ability to obtain such licensing on appointment.

• ChemCert and/or ACDC current licenses. Appropriate accreditation for agricultural chemical handling and the ability to lead and train others in safe, effective chemical handling practices, or the ability to obtain such accreditation on appointment. 

• A Remote Pilot’s License (RePL) would be highly desirable or the ability to obtain such accreditation on appointment.

• Proven experience in agricultural operations, with hands-on skills in machinery operation and maintenance.

• Familiarity with UAV operation and ground-based phenotyping technologies, with a willingness to learn and adapt to new tools and techniques.

• Strong foundation in agronomy, weed management, and precision agriculture.

• Excellent problem-solving abilities and a collaborative spirit to work effectively with research and technical teams.

• Experience in a research or experimental farm setting, particularly within a university or scientific institution would be highly regarded.

• Advanced knowledge of precision agriculture technologies would be desirable.

• Competency in troubleshooting technical issues with advanced agricultural equipment and technology platforms would be highly regarded.

• Availability to work weekends or after hours as required. 

In addition, the following mandatory requirements apply:

• Work Rights: You must have unrestricted work rights in Australia for the duration of this appointment to apply. Visa sponsorship is not available for this appointment. 

• Mandatory Immunisations: It is a condition of employment for this role that you will be required to provide evidence of immunisation against certain vaccine preventable diseases.

• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): It is a requirement of this position to wear tight-fitting respiratory protection which can only effectively seal to the face if facial hair is absent.  It is therefore a requirement of the position that you maintain a clean-shave or only have facial hair that does not interfere with the fitting surfaces and the valve of the respirator.

For more information about this opportunity, please contact Carla Gho at ****@uq.edu.au. For application queries, please contact ******@uq.edu.au stating the job reference number (below) in the subject line. 
 

All applicants must upload the following documents in order for your application to be considered:

• Cover letter addressing the ‘About You’ section  

• Resume 

At UQ we know that our greatest strengths come from our diverse mix of colleagues, this is reflected in our ongoing commitment to creating an environment focused on equity, diversity and inclusion.  We ensure that we are always attracting, retaining and promoting colleagues who are representative of the diversity in the broader community, whether that be gender identity, LGBTQIA+, cultural and/or linguistic, Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with a disability, or age. Accessibility requirements and/or adjustments can be directed to ******@uq.edu.au.

If you are a current employee (including casual staff and HDR scholars) or hold an unpaid/affiliate appointment, please login to your staff Workday account and visit the internal careers board to apply for this opportunity. Please do NOT apply via the external job board.

Applications close June 21st 2024 at 11.00pm AEST (Job Reference Number - R-38532). Please note that interviews have been tentatively scheduled for June 28th 2024.