NWREC Nursery Student Technical Assistant

Position Details

Position Information

Job Title NWREC Nursery Student Technical Assistant Appointment Type Student Employee Job Location Aurora Position Appointment Percent 100 Appointment Basis 12 Pay Method Hourly Pay Period 16th - 15th of the following month Pay Date Last working day of the month Remote or Hybrid option? Min Hourly Rate $15.05 (Standard); $14.05 (Non-Urban); $16.30 (Portland Metro) Max Hourly Rate $21.50 (Standard); $19.50 (Non-Urban); $22.00 (Portland Metro) Position Summary

This recruitment will be used to fill up to three part-time (a maximum of 24 hours per week) Student Technical Assistant (NWREC Nursery) position for the North Willamette Research & Extension Center at Oregon State University (OSU). This position will be located in Aurora, OR.

The Nursery Crop Production Research Program is recruiting up to ten students.

Student technical assistants will assist with the maintenance of the greenhouse, and outdoor nursery production areas.

Typical activities may include collecting data, checking irrigation, monitoring plant health, controlling weeds and pests, data entry, posting current events to websites and social media. maintain and harvests native seed production fields, cleans seed, and collects field plot data for cover crop and native wildflower/pollinator studies, as well as assisting with the maintenance of buildings, grounds, and equipment.

Transferable Skill Development

OSU is committed to ensuring students are prepared for success after graduation through intentional skill development as student employees. The competencies students develop while working at OSU are defined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) as the essential skills employers seek in their hires. In this position, students learn and build vital career-readiness skills in the primary areas below:

Communication, Critical Thinking, and Teamwork.

Position Duties

Plant Research 75%.

• Hand weed plots
• check irrigation emitters for plots
• measure plant health
• mix potting media for containers
• seed and thin container plants
• transplants and/or seeds plots; download data from loggers
• clean research workspace and storage area
• labels plots
• monitors greenhouse and lath house field climate.

Buildings, Grounds, and Equipment Maintenance. 15%.

• Maintain buildings, grounds, fences, roads, and other research facilities
• manages land not currently involved in research projects (including mowing, string trimming, pruning, mulching, and hand weeding).

Data Collection. 5%.

• Assists with biomass sampling, seed harvest, and data collection for nursery production trials according to study protocols.

Miscellaneous. 5%.

• Keeps records of activities
• assists with preparing orders for procurement
• assists Nursery program as needed in conducting tours, training, and field days for the public.

Minimum Qualifications

Full Employment Eligibility Requirements can be found here: https://hr.oregonstate.edu/student-employment-manual/500-employment-eligibility-requirements

• Must be academically enrolled in a high school, community college, or university and pursuing a program or course of study

• Must meet Academic Standing Requirements; students on academic suspension are not eligible for employment

• Must meet the applicable minimal enrollment standard

• High School student: Regularly enrolled in a high school or participating in a home-schooling program

• Undergraduate and post-baccalaureate student: 6 credit hours per term

• Undergraduate international student: 12 credit hours per term*

• Graduate student officially admitted to Graduate School: 5 credit hours per term

• Graduate international student officially admitted to Graduate School: 9 credit hours per term*

• International students may be allowed to carry fewer hours than specified above and still be considered "full-time" by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). A reduced course load is approved by the Office of International Services (OIS), and must be provided to the Student Employment Center.

Additional Required Qualifications

• Students who are under 18 years old are required to have passed a tractor safety certification class prior to operating a tractor.
• Attention to detail
• Perform assigned tasks without close supervision
• Capable of working outside and standing/walking for extended periods of time.
• Ability to lift 25 lbs
• Student employees (but not all employees) may be selected to drive to offsite locations, as needed, at the request of the Nursery Program supervisor.

Preferred (Special) Qualifications

Experience with tractors (for students over 18).

Working Conditions / Work Schedule

• Work is mainly performed outdoors at the research farm, in scientific laboratory, research greenhouses, and office settings.
• The ability to work in and dress appropriately for all weather conditions is required.
• Duties may include lifting heavy objects (up to 50 lb); standing, kneeling or crawling for long periods of time; walking over plowed fields or uneven surfaces; and other strenuous activities such as hoeing weeds, shoveling, operating push mowers, and string trimmers.

Posting Detail Information

Posting Number P12712SE Number of Vacancies 3 Anticipated Appointment Begin Date 01/11/2026 Anticipated Appointment End Date Posting Date 01/01/2026 Full Consideration Date Closing Date 06/30/2026 Indicate how you intend to recruit for this search Competitive / Student - open to ALL qualified/eligible students Special Instructions to Applicants

When applying you will be required to attach the following electronic documents:

A Resume

A Cover Letter

For additional information please contact: Clint Taylor at clint.taylor@oregonstate.edu

• All applicants must email lloyd.nackley@oregonstate.edu after submitting their application

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status.

OSU will conduct a review of the National Sex Offender Public website prior to hire.

Note: All job offers are contingent upon Human Resources final approval

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Documents Needed to Apply

Required Documents

• Resume
• Cover Letter

Optional Documents