CDA-Pine Beetle Lab Technician (Laboratory Technology II)

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

This position will be responsible for rearing biocontrol agents for use against MPB.

In addition, this position will utilize molecular diagnostics techniques for the identification of natural enemies of mountain pine beetles with the goal of finding novel enemies that can be used to combat the MPB.

Full-time laboratory duties include data management, live insect rearing both on artificial diet and live plants, sterile techniques, microscopy work, sampling work for PCR analysis, specimen preparation, dissection and cataloguing.

The position will focus on duties that have not been formally assigned to current staff positions.

Primary Duties:

Rearing, collecting and distributing biocontrol agents:

Brief Duty Description: This position will work to facilitate the rearing, collecting and distributing of biocontrol agents specific duties include.

• Work to produce biological control agents for use against mountain pine beetles and related pests in Colorado through laboratory rearing, particularly using artificial diets and live host material. Agents are typically insects but may also include mites or fungi.

• Production work will include working in the greenhouses and the grow house as well as working with production equipment, which may involve mass producing insects using artificial diet.

• Document methods and numbers produced so that techniques can be written into protocols. An essential part of these duties includes stereoscope technique, manipulation of small insects, accurate identification and thorough documentation.

• 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.

• Work in the greenhouses and work with production equipment, which may involve moving potting soil, cut logs, and equipment.

Molecular Diagnostics:

Brief Duty Description: The primary goal of molecular diagnostics in the context of this position is the taxonomic identification of biocontrol agents, biocontrol targets (i.e.

mountain pine beetle or other bark beetle species), and associated organisms using DNA sequence analysis. Specific Job duties include:

• DNA extraction and purification, Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) amplification of barcode sequences and preparation for shipping following currently available protocols.

• Identification of biocontrol agents, targets and other insect pests as well as diseases that infect agents and targets, and parasitoids that attack biocontrol agents is a critical component of MPB control within an IPM framework.

Insectary Staff Support:

Brief Duty Description:

• Attend regular meetings with staff to determine needs for the MPB project including additional monitoring and the use of pheromones in monitoring.

• Support also includes participation in other elements of the MPB project such as biocontrol agent releases.

Outreach to cooperators and stakeholders:

Brief Duty Description:

• Periodic check-in with our biocontrol partners in which our progress is presented and discussed.

• Partners can include resource managers and other biocontrol end users as well as forestry professionals.

• Outreach will be conducted in cooperation with the MPB team and the Insectary Director.

Qualifications

• Five (5) years of relevant experience in an occupation related to the laboratory 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 the laboratory biocontrol work assigned equal to Five (5) years.

• Experience with Insectary operations working in biological control

• Experience with field monitoring of invasive species

• Experience with molecular techniques used for species identification.

• Experience with insect rearing

• Previous experience working with the State of Colorado

• Must have an active Colorado driver's license.

• Must be a resident of the state of Colorado at the time of application

• 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

• Must be willing to work outside of normal business hours

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

• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and juggle multiple priorities, and able to react and adjust quickly to changing conditions.

• 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.

• Experience with relationship management and ability to provide excellent representation of the department in community interactions.

• Knowledge and experience in Insectary and Lab etiquette including working with invasive species/pests and bio control agents.

• 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