Trainee Virtual Architect Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Position Description
Performs specialized Post Doctoral work in the planning, conducting and/or supervision of original research. Responsible for participating in a research project associated with PhD studies and the interpretation of the results of publication. Work is performed under supervision of graduate faculty members with evaluation based on accomplishment of assigned objectives and overall effectiveness of project. May supervise research and student assistants.
Major/Essential Functions
The Department of Plant and Soil Science in the Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources at Texas Tech University (Lubbock, TX) invites applications for a Post Doc focused on precision-managed grass-alfalfa grazing systems for beef-on-dairy production in the semi-arid Southern High Plains. The successful candidate will combine field-research and quantitative skills to evaluate alfalfa integration, adaptive grazing, and GPS-enabled virtual fencing across forage, livestock, soil-water, and resource-use outcomes.
This position offers an opportunity to work within a coordinated multi-state research and extension team involving Texas Tech University, Oklahoma State University, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, and the Texas Alliance for Water Conservation. The Post Doc will lead field experimentation, coordinate adaptive grazing and virtual-fencing activities, integrate agronomic, livestock, environmental, and geospatial data, and translate results into publications, producer recommendations, and extension products.

• Lead multi-year field experiments comparing old world bluestem and old world bluestem-alfalfa pastures under conventional rotational and virtual-fencing-enabled adaptive grazing.
• Oversee adaptive grazing and GPS-enabled virtual fencing, including collar deployment, virtual-boundary setup, grazing allocations, technology performance, and coordination with livestock monitoring.
• Coordinate forage biomass, botanical composition, alfalfa persistence, forage quality, soil, soil-moisture, and livestock-related sampling and measurements; maintain rigorous field and laboratory protocols.
• Manage, quality-control, and integrate forage, soil-moisture, weather and irrigation, GPS and virtual-fencing, grazing-behavior, livestock-performance, soil-health, and environmental datasets.
• Analyze project data using mixed-effects and repeated-measures models, regression, and geospatial analyses to quantify forage utilization, grazing distribution, nutritional water productivity, and integrated system performance.
• Collaborate with investigators at Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, and TAWC to coordinate activities, synthesize results across objectives, and support reporting and data stewardship.
• Mentor undergraduate trainees and collaborate with graduate students; support field logistics, sample processing, documentation, and safe execution of research activities.
• Lead interdisciplinary manuscripts and scientific presentations; contribute to research proposals, pasture walks, field demonstrations, producer engagement, extension publications, infographics, and decision-support resources.

Preferred Qualifications
Preferred experience includes alfalfa or perennial forage systems, adaptive or rotational grazing, beef cattle research, GPS or virtual-fencing technologies, precision livestock systems, geospatial or GIS analysis, soil-water or soil-health measurements, forage-quality analysis, mixed-effects modeling, producer-facing extension and outreach, and student mentoring.
Required Qualifications
PhD in area of project specialization. Knowledge of modern research practices, the methods, resources, and standards thereof. Ability to organize work effectively, conceptualize and prioritize objectives and exercise independent judgment based on an understanding of organizational policies and activities. Ability to integrate resources, policies, and information for the determination of procedures, solutions and other outcomes. Ability to establish and maintain effective work relationships with other employees and the public. Ability to plan and allocate the workload of employees, providing direct training and supervision as needed.
About the Department and/or College
Davis College includes the departments of Agricultural and Applied Economics, Agricultural Education and Communications, Animal and Food Sciences, Landscape Architecture, Natural Resources Management, Plant and Soil Science, and Veterinary Sciences along with multiple research centers and institutes. The College has over 100 tenure-track faculty, 2747 undergraduate and 519 graduate students, numerous other staff employees, and generated approximately $16 million in extramural research funding.
The PSS Department is a comprehensive academic unit conducting research and offering coursework and programs in several areas of plant and soil sciences. There are 36 full-time faculty members and a student body consisting of approximately 180 undergraduate and 140 graduate students. B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. level degrees are offered in Plant and Soil Science. Additionally, distance education courses and four certificate programs are offered. The department is research-intensive, while fostering strong teaching expectations and commitments. Students in the department are educated to meet the challenge of using soil, water, and plant resources for sustainable production and environmental quality.
Special Instructions to Applicants
This position is expected to be for three years, starting October 2026; the start date can be flexible, and continuation is subject to project funding and satisfactory performance. Applicants must use the Texas Tech University job portal to apply. Inquiries can be sent to either Dr. Dinesh Saini (disaini@ttu.edu) and Dr. Krishna Jagadish (kjagadish.sv@ttu.edu). Please use "Post doc - Precision Grazing and Virtual Fencing in Forage-Livestock Systems" in the subject line.
Safety Information
Adherence to robust safety practices and compliance with all applicable health and safety regulations are responsibilities of all TTU employees.
Pay Statement
Compensation is commensurate upon the qualifications of the individual selected and budgetary guidelines of the hiring department, as well as the institutional pay plan.
EEO Statement
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information or status as a protected veteran.
About the University
Founded in 1923, Texas Tech University began with a mission to serve the needs of West Texas, but its impact has always reached far beyond. Today, Texas Tech, located in Lubbock (pop. 300,000+), is home to a vibrant community of more than 42,000 students.Texas Tech's 1,800-acre campus showcases Spanish Renaissance architecture and is home to one of the country's largest public art collections. Its 13 colleges include a prestigious School of Law and a distinguished School of Veterinary Medicine. These programs equip students with the skills and knowledge needed to excel in their respective fields. Built on the values of West Texas - hard work, grit and authenticity - the university graduates students who are deeply engaged in service to their communities and well-positioned to succeed in the world. Texas Tech is committed to achieving research and scholarly accomplishments that compare favorably to the member institutions of the Association of American Universities (AAU). For more than 100 years, Texas Tech has been a premier destination for those seeking a world-class education and a unique, personalized experience as a member of the Red Raider family.