Greenhouse Assistant

Harvard University
Position Title: Greenhouse Assistant
Req ID: 66676BR
School or Unit: Faculty of Arts and Sciences
Description: Job Summary
The Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology seeks a part-time (17.5 hours per week) Greenhouse Assistant to provide general sanitation, watering, and maintenance for a USDA plant and insect growth facility. This one-year, grant-funded position will report to Professor Naomi Pierce and will work closely with Graduate student Galen Tiong and Postdoctoral fellow Trey Scott. In addition, the position may involve working on holidays as needed.
Position Description
Duties include:

• Maintains order in greenhouse and growth facility and insures plants and insects are in compliance with containment measures described in the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)
• Maintains general greenhouse and insectary sanitation (sweeps floors, picks up fallen leaves, flowers, pull weeds, etc.)
• Determines watering needs for plants and maintains water tubes for insects as appropriate
• Re-pots and/or fertilizes plants as needed; prepares insect diets and feeds as needed
• Scouts for pest and/or pathogen issues and informs manager if found
• Raises caterpillars on host plants and arranges for transfer of adults to mating cages and later to oviposition cages
• Disposes of plant and insect material following guidelines in Facility SOP
• Catalogues and makes routine identifications of new entries
• Performs related job duties as required

THIS POSITION MAY INVOLVE WEEKEND AND HOLIDAY WORK AND IS CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL STAFF DURING EMERGENCY SITUATIONS.
Basic Qualifications
One year of lab experience. Education may count towards experience.
Additional Qualifications and Skills
College background preferred. Specialized courses relating to plant and insect biology preferred. Previous related experience raising insects and plants helpful but not required; will train. Excellent communication skills. Ability to work well independently and as a team. Must have good judgement on when to escalate issues to manager. Dependability is vital.
Additional Information
In order to be considered for this position, a cover letter and resume must be submitted.
***All formal written offers will be made by FAS HR.
This is a one-year term position with the possibility of extension based on funding. We are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position.
About Us
OEB is a diverse and vibrant department with a broad range of research and teaching interests, ranging from the evolution and control of gene expression patterns within individuals and populations to the dynamics of ecosystems. Field and laboratory studies are key to understanding the evolution of organisms, how biodiversity is generated and maintained, how organisms work, and how organisms interact with their environment. OEB has close working associations with its allied institutions: the Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ) and the Harvard University Herbaria (HUH), as well as the Arnold Arboretum and the Harvard Forest. These institutions and their collections offer an unparalleled, rich set of resources for OEB students, faculty, visitors and staff. www.oeb.harvard.edu
Benefits
We invite you to visit Harvard's Total Rewards website (https://hr.harvard.edu/totalrewards) to learn more about our outstanding benefits package, which may include:

• Paid Time Off: 3-4 weeks of accrued vacation time per year (3 weeks for support staff and 4 weeks for administrative/professional staff), 12 accrued sick days per year, 12.5 holidays plus a Winter Recess in December/January, 3 personal days per year (prorated based on date of hire), and up to 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents who are primary care givers.
• Health and Welfare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, disability and life insurance programs, along with voluntary benefits. Most coverage begins as of your start date.
• Work/Life and Wellness: Child and elder/adult care resources including on campus childcare centers, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness programs related to stress management, nutrition, meditation, and more.
• Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with contributions from 5% to 15% of eligible compensation, based on age and earnings with full vesting after 3 years of service.
• Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive program including $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and reduced tuition through other participating Harvard graduate schools.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Program that provides 75% to 90% reimbursement up to $5,250 per calendar year for eligible courses taken at other accredited institutions.
• Professional Development: Programs and classes at little or no cost, including through the Harvard Center for Workplace Development and LinkedIn Learning.
• Commuting and Transportation: Various commuter options handled through the Parking Office, including discounted parking, half-priced public transportation passes and pre-tax transit passes, biking benefits, and more.
• Harvard Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks: Access to Harvard athletic and fitness facilities, libraries, campus events, credit union, and more, as well as discounts to various types of services (legal, financial, etc.) and cultural and leisure activities throughout metro-Boston.

Department Office Location: USA - MA - Cambridge
Job Code: 403096 Laboratory Technician
Job Function: Research
Work Format: On-Site
Sub Unit: Sciences
Salary Grade: 049
Department: Organismic and Evolutionary Biology (OEB)
Union: 55 - Hvd Union Cler & Tech Workers
Time Status: Part-time
Pre-Employment Screening: Identity
Schedule: Monday - Friday, 17.5 hours; daily hours to be determined.
Commitment to Equity Diversity Inclusion and Belonging: Harvard University views equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging as the pathway to achieving inclusive excellence and fostering a campus culture where everyone can thrive. We strive to create a community that draws upon the widest possible pool of talent to unify excellence and diversity while fully embracing individuals from varied backgrounds, cultures, races, identities, life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, and values.
EOE Statement: We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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