Farm Operations Assistant Jobs (NOW HIRING)

This soft-money funded position provides essential staffing needed for potato breeding and research at Aroostook Research Farm in Presque Isle, ME. The Farm Operations Technician will need to operate, calibrate, and maintain field and harvest equipment, trucks, and specialized research equipment to meet this need. They will also prepare seed potatoes for planting, assist in field, greenhouse, and laboratory research activities and data collection, grade potatoes and conduct potato quality evaluations. A small portion of the time will be spent helping the research farm with general farm support such as mowing fields and clearing snow at our facilities. We are a multidisciplinary research team composed of faculty, students, and professionals that collaborate on research projects focused on potato breeding and genetics. This position is grant-funded for one year, with potential extension depending on satisfactory performance and funding availability. Full-time, regular position, 40 hours per week, 5 days per week. Normal daily work hours are Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This position pays $20.39/hour, or applicable transfer rate in accordance with the ACSUM collective bargaining agreement.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Operates, maintains, and repairs field and harvest equipment, trucks, and specialized research equipment.
• Applies agricultural chemicals to research plots.
• Inventories agricultural pesticides and organizes/maintains pesticide storage area.
• Prepares research fields for winter by picking rocks with a mechanical rock picker, etc.
• Prepares field and research equipment for growing season use and for winter storage.
• Helps prepare greenhouse spaces for growing season use and for winter.
• Prepares seed potatoes for planting,
• Assists in field, greenhouse, and laboratory research activities and data collection.
• Conducts yield and quality evaluations of research potato samples.
• Monitors and maintains controlled environment potato storage lockers.
• Collects samples and data from research plots.
• Provides direction to hourly and other research staff when the principal investigator or senior personnel is not available.
• Helps the research farm staff with general farm duties including mowing fields and clearing snow at the facility as long as these tasks do not disrupt timely completion of priority research tasks.
• Performs other reasonably related duties as assigned.

About the University:
The University of Maine is a community of more than 11,900 undergraduate and graduate students, and 2,500 employees located on the Orono campus, the regional campus in Machias, and throughout the state. UMaine is a land, sea and space grant university, and maintains a leadership role as the University of Maine System's flagship institution. UMaine is the state's public research university and a Carnegie R1 top-tier research institution, dedicated to providing excellent teaching, research and service for Maine, the nation and the world. More information about UMaine is at umaine.edu.
The University of Maine offers a wide range of benefits for employees including, but not limited to, tuition benefits (employee and dependent), comprehensive insurance coverage including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and short and long term disability as well as retirement plan options.
UMaine is located in beautiful Central Maine. Many employees report that a primary reason for choosing to come to UMaine is quality of life. Numerous cultural activities, excellent public schools, safe neighborhoods, high quality medical care, little traffic, and a reasonable cost of living make the greater Bangor area a wonderful place to live. Visit the Maine Office of Tourism to learn more about what the Bangor region has to offer.
Qualifications:
Required:

• Associate's degree in agronomy, animal sciences, or a related field or equivalent work experience and training and sufficient experience, including three years' farm operations experience.
• A valid Maine driver's license.
• Ability to operate field equipment, storage, specialized research equipment, and trucks used in potato research.
• Ability to calibrate, perform minor repairs, and conduct routine maintenance of field and research equipment.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.
• Ability to obtain a Maine Certified Pesticide Applicators License within 180 days of hire.
• Ability to work in the field, greenhouse, laboratory, and grading facilities under sometimes difficult conditions due weather, dust, etc.
• Patience at conducting detailed, but routine and repetitive research tasks (e.g. planting, weighing, measuring, grading, slicing, frying, cutting, packaging, counting, etc).
• Ability to listen carefully and properly follow instructions well so that research tasks are completed correctly.
• Ability to communicate effectively and work constructively as part of team.

Preferred:

• Prior field experiences working in potato breeding and genetics research
• At least one year of experience working with potatoes in a research setting with specific experience in seed potato preparation, planting field and greenhouse plots, harvesting field and greenhouse plots, and quality evaluations.
• Experience operating field equipment and trucks used in potato productions and research.
• Possession of a valid Maine Certified Pesticide Applicators License.

Other Information:
To be considered for this position you will need to "Apply" and upload the documentation listed below:
1.) a cover letter which describes your experience, interests, and suitability for the position
2.) a resume/curriculum vitae
Candidates selected to proceed to the final stages of the search process will be requested to provide a list of names and contact information for references.
Incomplete application materials cannot be considered. Materials received after the initial review date will be reviewed at the discretion of the University.
For full consideration, materials must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. EST on July 16, 2026.
The successful applicant is subject to appropriate background screening and post offer physical.
The University of Maine System (the System) is an equal opportunity institution committed to fostering a nondiscriminatory environment and complying with all applicable nondiscrimination laws. Consistent with State and Federal law, the System does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, familial status, ancestry, age, disability (physical or mental), genetic information, pregnancy, or veteran or military status in any aspect of its education, programs and activities, and employment. The System provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. If you believe you have experienced discrimination or harassment, you are encouraged to contact the System Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX Services at 5713 Chadbourne Hall, Room 412, Orono, ME 04469-5713, by calling 207.581.1226, or via TTY at 711 (Maine Relay System). For more information about Title IX or to file a complaint, please contact the UMS Title IX Coordinator at www.maine.edu/title-ix/.
Clery Act
The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, or Clery Act, mandates that all Title IV institutions, such as the University, prepare, publish and distribute an Annual Security Report, (ASR) and provide notice of the availability of the ASR to all prospective employees. This report consists of two basic parts: disclosure of the University's crime statistics for the past three calendar years; and disclosures regarding the University's current campus security policies. You may view the University's Annual Security Report. If you wish to have a paper copy of the ASR or you need to have a copy of the ASR in an accessible format, the University will provide such a copy upon request. Please contact: UMaine Police Department, 81 Rangeley Rd., The University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5794, or call 207.581.4053.