CDA-Laboratory Biocontrol Specialist (Life/Social Science Researcher Scientist III)

Full Job Description

Agriculture is a part of all our lives. When you eat, put on clothes, or care for an animal--your life is touched by agriculture.

Colorado's food and agriculture industry generated $47 billion of economic activity in 2019 and supports nearly 5% of the state's workforce. CDA is proud to be a part of such an important industry.

Mission:

The CDA's mission is to strengthen and advance Colorado's agriculture; promote a safe and high-quality food supply; protect consumers; and foster responsible stewardship of the environment.

CDA Wildly Important Goals:

To accomplish our mission, CDA focuses on four “wildly important goals:”

• Goal 1: Advancing Local Food Access

• Goal 2: Expanding Water-Resilient Agriculture

• Goal 3: Supporting the Next Generation in Agriculture

• Goal 4: Advancing Animal Health and Welfare

We use these goals to focus and align the daily work of our staff in support of Colorado farmers and ranchers. Learn more about our Department and our wildly important goals in our performance plan on our website.

• Strong, secure, yet flexible retirement benefits including aPERA Defined Benefit Plan or PERA Defined Contribution Plan plus optional 401(k) and 457 plans (www.copera.org)
• Medical and dental health plans (https://stateofcoloradobenefits.com/)
• Employer supplemented Health Savings Account ($60 per month)
• Paid life insurance, plus additional optional life insurance options
• Paid Short Term Disability and optional Long Term Disability coverage
• 11 paid holidays per year plus generous vacation and sick leave accruals
• BenefitHub state employee discount program
• Employee Wellness program State of Health
• Excellent work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, remote work opportunities, free parking, professional development and more!

To learn about the total compensation package for State government employment visit: https://www.colorado.gov/dhr/totalcompensation

Equal Opportunity

The State of Colorado strives to create a Colorado for All by building and maintaining workplaces that value and respect all Coloradans through a commitment to equal opportunity and hiring based on merit and fitness.

The State is resolute in non-discriminatory practices in everything we do, including hiring, employment, and advancement opportunities.

We believe that equity, diversity, and inclusion drive our success, and we encourage candidates from all identities, backgrounds, and abilities to apply.

The State of Colorado is an equal opportunity employer committed to building inclusive, innovative work environments with employees who reflect our communities and enthusiastically serve them.

Therefore, in all aspects of the employment process, we provide employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, medical condition related to pregnancy, creed, ancestry, national origin, marital status, genetic information, or military status (with preference given to military veterans), or any other protected status in accordance with applicable law.

Requirements

Organizational Purpose

This work unit collects, raises, and distributes biological control agents for use against weeds and insect pests.

The unit also monitors the results of biocontrol releases and uses the information to formulate pest control recommendations.

The unit educates resource managers and the public on the uses and benefits of biocontrol.

These actions result in more effective pest control and decreased use of pesticides in the State of Colorado - serving both the agricultural industry and citizens of the state.

Major Objectives of the Position

The purpose of this position is to implement biological control of insect pests and invasive plants.

Implementation includes production or collection of biocontrol agents, monitoring them after release and educating end users about biocontrol.

Each of these activities can also include a research component with the purpose of providing up-to-date science-based information to end users, about available agents and target impacts.

The purpose of biocontrol is to provide a safe, economical and effective means of weed and pest control to agricultural producers, land managers and the public of Colorado.

Primary Duties

Rearing, collecting and distributing biocontrol agents:

• This position will produce/collect biological control agents for use against insect and weed pests in Colorado.

• Agents are typically insects but may also include mites or fungi. This includes work in the greenhouses and work with production equipment, which may involve moving potting soil, and equipment weighing up to 50 pounds.
• This duty also includes devising appropriate rearing techniques that employ host plants or insects produced at the Insectary and documenting methods used and numbers produced.
• This may also include collection of biocontrol agents from the field using a number of techniques including sweep netting and hand picking of agents. collection sites and documenting all collections with respect to time, place and numbers collected.
• Taken data will be taken and stored on a portable GPS unit. Location and use of collection sites will require communication and cooperation with landowners and resource managers as well as judgment of site conditions.
• This duty statement includes training and overseeing seasonal help in the production/collection of biocontrol agents.

Identify biocontrol agents & targets using genetic barcoding:

• Supports biological control practitioners to identify targets and biocontrol agents based on DNA barcode analysis, which is necessary to identify and characterize biocontrol agents and targets.
• In addition, DNA barcoding will also be used to identify pathogens infecting agents and targets as well as parasitoids attacking biocontrol agents.
• Work with other Insectary personnel to provide expertise in agent and target identification.
• Lead the molecular diagnostics laboratory at the Insectary and be knowledgeable concerning techniques used in successful DNA amplification using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) protocols.
• Work with collaborators on projects requiring molecular analysis.

Project Monitoring and Data Collection:

• Monitor biological control agents and plant communities.
• Monitors biocontrol release sites for impact of biocontrol agents on the target species as well as changes in the plant community associated with the decline of the target species.
• Established monitoring protocols will be used and data will be recorded using a portable GPS unit.
• Monitoring includes the entry of data into the archives of the Biological Pest Control program where it must be well organized and readily accessible.
• Physically moving equipment used for field monitoring such as stakes, weather stations, insect cages, etc. will require occasionally lifting objects weighing up to 50 pounds.

Education and outreach for Colorado’s biocontrol program:

• This position will assist in compiling metrics related to the biocontrol program, such as number of agents released for each project, geographic distribution of agents within Colorado, impact of agents on target weeds and pests and identification of target weeds and pests using DNA barcoding.
• Information will be made available to the public on the Biological Control pages of the CDA website, as well as to the Director and staff members needing such information for presentations and workshops.

Required Competencies (Review to determine if all are needed):

• Detail oriented.
• Work well under pressure.
• Strong relationship management skills and excellent representation of the department in community interactions.
• A proven track record for developing and maintaining trusted relationships with stakeholders and industry experts.
• Proactive approaches to problem-solving and with strong decision-making capability.
• Highly resourceful team-player, with the ability to also be extremely effective independently.

Qualifications

• Six (6) years of relevant experience in an occupation related to biocontrol work assigned to this position

• Part-time experience will be prorated.

• A combination of related education and/or relevant experience in an occupation related to biocontrol work assigned equal to six (6) years.

• Experience with Insectary operations working in biological control

• Experience with field monitoring of invasive species

• Experience with molecular techniques used for species identification.

• Use years of state service as a preferred qualification.

• Must have an active Colorado driver's license.

• Must be a resident of the state of Colorado.

• Be willing to travel for frequent single-day trips to work sites throughout assigned area and be willing to have overnight travel to other areas of Colorado a few days a year

• Must be willing to work outside of normal business hours

• Will need to work outdoors in adverse conditions such as rain, heat, and snow.

• Detail oriented.

• Work well under pressure.

• Strong relationship management skills and excellent representation of the department in community interactions.

• A proven track record for developing and maintaining trusted relationships with stakeholders and industry experts.

• Proactive approaches to problem-solving and with strong decision-making capability.

• Highly resourceful team-player, with the ability to also be extremely effective independently.

• Online application (completed fully) describing how you meet the minimum qualifications

OR If you are not able to submit an online application, a paper application is available at this link: PDF State Paper Application.

Paper applications must be received (either by US mail or email to mary.hunt@state.co.us by the closing date and time of the application period listed on this announcement.

• DD214 (if applicable)
• Unofficial copy of transcripts (if applicable)

• Technical Competence – Technical experience as it relates to the duties outlined in this job announcement.
• Depth and Breadth of Experience – Experience that covers multiple areas outlined in this job announcement. Experience should be varied and not one dimensional and demonstrate a wide range of community involvement.
• Job Fit – Experience will be evaluated to determine how well your past experience aligns with and meets the business needs of this position. Current experience is preferred.

Additional Information