Seasonal Ecology Research Field/Lab Tech at InsideHigherEd

Department:Biology - 318200Career Area :Research ProfessionalsPosting Open Date:12/11/2025Application Deadline:01/12/2026Position Type:Temporary Staff (SHRA)Position Title :Seasonal Ecology Research Field/Lab TechPosition Number:20005106, 20012177 Vacancy ID:S026544Full-time/Part-time:Full-Time TemporaryHours per week:40Work Schedule:Monday – Friday, varying from 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM to 9:00 AM – 5:00 PMPosition Location:North Carolina, USHiring Range:$18.50 per hourProposed Start Date:03/09/2026Estimated Duration of Appointment:6 months not to exceed 11 monthsBe a Tar Heel!:A global higher education leader in innovative teaching, research and public service, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill consistently ranks as one of the nation’s top public universities. Known for its beautiful campus, world-class medical care, commitment to the arts and top athletic programs, Carolina is an ideal place to teach, work and learn.One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks that include numerous retail and restaurant discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates for performing arts events.Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit:The Department of Biology at UNC-Chapel Hill is dedicated to the discovery and dissemination of new and existing knowledge in the broad discipline of Biology by maintaining a high-quality faculty who integrate cutting-edge research and student-focused teaching.We are one of the largest academic departments in the College of Arts and Sciences. We have over 3,450 majors and we enroll undergraduate students in over 7,870 seats in our classes each semester. Each fall or spring semester, we offer 52 classes (70 sections) and 13 lab courses (93 sections). Our average total annual expenditure exceeds $24 million, with nearly half of that coming from grant sponsored research. Our department has nearly $70 million in active grants to support our twin missions of research and teaching. Our large research base spans many areas of biology and supports several outstanding graduate programs. We consist of 48 tenure-track faculty, 12 teaching faculty, 5 research faculty, and numerous active adjunct and emeritus faculty who are engaged in basic and interdisciplinary research and teaching, both within the department and between other departments and schools at UNC.We currently have 50 graduate students and 30 post-docs and employ approximately 85 additional graduate and undergraduate students from across the university to assist in our teaching and research missions. Further, we are supported by an administrative staff of 20, with an additional 20 staff directly supporting research.Position Summary:Assist with research on plant disease ecology in field and lab settings. The research technician will work on a grant-funded project examining how seasonal epidemics of infectious diseases are influenced by both climatic variables and ecological interactions among microbial species. Specific duties include extensive vegetation surveys of foliar fungal pathogens, management of data collected from surveys, collection of plant and fungal samples from the field, culturing and archiving of fungal pathogens from infected plant material, working on greenhouse inoculation protocols, extracting DNA from cultured fungal samples, and assisting other lab members with additional projects. The research technician should be able to 1) work independently under minimal supervision and with other team members, 2) work accurately and efficiently, and 3) maintain exceptional communication skills with the research team over the course of daily activities.Minimum Education and Experience Requirements:Demonstrated possession of the competencies necessary to perform the work.Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience:Willingness and ability to work early mornings and outdoors daily in the summer is required, in addition to familiarity with general research procedures. The capacity to communicate and work well with others as a team is also essential. Employees must be able to secure transportation to an off-campus field site (Duke Forest) on a daily basis, in addition to working at the on-campus lab when necessary. Previous experience working with plant diseases is not required – training on identification of foliar pathogens and particular methods in the study system will be provided.Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience:Some course work in a relevant field, including ecology, biology, and environmental science. Experience conducting ecological research, especially in the field. Demonstrated experience working in outdoor conditions for extended periods of time is a plus.Special Physical/Mental Requirements:Capacity and willingness to conduct outdoor field work during the daytime hours of summer. Field work will involve long periods of time spent kneeling into tall vegetation for surveys. Work is expected to be continued through periods of inclement weather (i.e. rain) that do not pose a health risk. Duties to be performed with or without reasonable accommodation.Campus Security Authority Responsibilities:Not Applicable.