Research Project Manager

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POSITION SPECIFICS

The Tree Fruit Production and Physiology Program at the Penn State Fruit Research and Extension Center (FREC) in Biglerville, PA is seeking a Research Project Manager to join a collaborative research team. The candidate will provide essential support by overseeing and advising on a variety of externally funded research projects related to apple, peach, and pear production (and more crops), fruit quality optimization through pruning, training system, rootstock, and other orchard practices. The candidate will serve as the primary reference for the Principal Investigator (PI) on day-to-day activities in the orchards, laboratory, greenhouse, and cold storage. This position will interact directly with staff, faculty, Extension, and internal/external collaborators.

Responsibilities:

• Participate in the brainstorming process and provide guidance on project planning with the principal investigator (PI).

• Execute research objectives outlined in funded projects in collaboration with the research staff. This includes developing workflow procedures to prioritize and assign research tasks to students and technicians.

• Manage and organize the collection of data related to all research projects in a timely manner.

• Assist with data analysis and compilation of results.

• Organize each project's records and document keeping with the utmost diligence. This encompasses a range of responsibilities, including the maintenance of standard operating procedures (SOPs), the short- and long-term storage of fruit, the inventory of materials, vehicle maintenance, chemical inventory and safety, and the tracking of supply expenses.

• Check the functionality of all the instruments in the research program (field and lab ones) at regular intervals and plan the calibration and maintenance of them.

• Coordinate, plan and complete milestones of each project, including delivering scholarly (i.e. peer-reviewed articles) and Extension products (i.e. newsletter/fac sheet), to completion.

• Coordinate manuscript submission procedures by working collaboratively with PI and project collaborators.

• Compile regular reports of each project's activities reflecting achievements and/or barriers in accordance with the instructions provided by the funding agency.

• Represent the program's research interests at institutional workshops, meetings, and Extension events by presenting speeches or poster presentation.

• Interact and coordinate joint research activities with growers, collaborators at the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, USDA-APHIS, USDA-ARS, and other universities.

• Participate and contribute to short and long-term planning of activities supporting subsequent grant proposals.

• Oversee day-to-day activities in the orchard, laboratory, cold storage and greenhouse.

• Report to the PI on daily basis on the status of the activities being proactive in finding efficient solutions to optimize the work.

• Work with PI on hiring, onboarding, and mentoring part-time wage staff.

The ideal candidate will:

• Be direct and polite, and desire to learn.

• Be goal-oriented and able to work independently.

• Possess excellent research integrity and work ethics.

• Have previous work-related experience in horticulture in tree fruit physiology, pomology

• Have knowledge of tree fruit production systems in apples, peaches and/or other crops and related rootstocks.

• Have effective knowledge of standard fruit quality analysis, laboratory and field-use-instruments (i.e. Licor 6800 gas exchange), microscopy and statistics.

• Have experience in program management and be interested in becoming skillful on specific projects' tasks.

• Demonstrate competency in oral and written communication.

• Have computer skills or commitment to acquiring skills for statistical software, Photoshop, Word, Excel, and other Microsoft Office tools, cloud space, other software for instruments management and data acquisition.

• Have experience in designing, coordinating, and managing research inquiries.

• Have experience in literature searching, writing and preparing scholarly manuscripts.

• Be organized, responsive, attentive to detail, and possess a professional demeanor.

• Be able to communicate diplomatically with different audiences and adapt to shifting priorities at the last minute.

• Be multi-tasking in rotating between different projects on the same day.

Required Qualifications:

The candidate must demonstrate a strong work ethic, professionalism, and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively in a team.

Preferred Qualifications:

Education and experience in a science related field (plant science or biology).

MINIMUM EDUCATION, WORK EXPERIENCE & REQUIRED CERTIFICATIONS

BACKGROUND CHECKS/CLEARANCES

SALARY & BENEFITS

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Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being. In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time. One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children. For more detailed information, please visit our Benefits Page.

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