Agriculture Worker III (Safford, AZ)

The incumbent will apply principles of plant, soil, and related sciences to the improvement, production, management, and utilization of field crops, and may also be involved in soil and crop management, development, and use of weed controls and plant regulators, and care/proper handling of livestock.

This role is also involved in facility maintenance, custodial tasks, and shop work. In the future the position may work with an inmate crew of 1 or 2, for all department activities: crop production, custodial, and maintenance/repair of vehicles, equipment, and buildings. There will also be accountability for supporting the financial well-being of the Safford Ag Center department.

This position is located in Safford, AZ. Duties are typically performed at SAC, but occasionally may require work at remote sites. Work hours follow a Monday-Friday, 7:30a-4:00p schedule, but occasionally will require flexibility to accommodate late night, overnight, and weekend operational activities, and requires working outside in adverse weather conditions. The successful applicant will be required to be available to engage with internal research faculty, external industry clientele, and members of the surrounding communities.

Caretaker duties of Safford Agricultural Center will require incumbent to live on-site.

Outstanding UA benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; UA/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; retirement plans; access to UA recreation and cultural activities; and more!

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• Performs farming activities: irrigation, planting, cultivation, and harvest of experimental plots and bulk field crops; mixes and measures chemicals; calibrates the application equipment; and, applies fertilizers and pesticides. Requires the ability to drive and operate, tractors with implements, cotton pickers, sprayers, harvesters, and other farm equipment. Maintains a record of activities in a designated computer program. May supervise inmate labor crew in the above activities. Off-site activities include preparing, loading, and transporting/driving of farm equipment to off-site locations for research use.
• Performs maintenance and minor repairs on farm vehicles and farm equipment to include adding fluids and changing fluids, oil filters, hoses, wiper blades, and belts. May supervise inmate labor crew in above activities.
• Responsible for the overall appearance of the facility as well as maintaining in good and safe condition all components of the SAC infrastructure, to include buildings, fields, equipment, grounds, and utilities. Performs facility maintenance activities - mowing, weeding, raking, pruning, painting - and custodial activities in offices and facility buildings. May help supervise inmate labor crew in above activities.
• Makes purchases using a departmental purchasing card for above activities. Responsible for completing all documentation and recordkeeping required for purchasing, crop production and service effort, research, facility maintenance, custodial, and groundskeeping activities, and providing it to business staff within a set time frame.
• Accountable for policies related to facility operations, purchasing, balancing operational budgets, and promoting safety in all aspects of the daily operations, to include equipment, buildings, and grounds. Will require regular communication and collaboration with business support staff to maintain financial stability of the unit, and to keep abreast of financial policies and procedures, and university employee updates.
• Promotes a positive relationship and maintains communication within the unit, within the University, and with the public in support of research, service, and community activities.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Demonstrated knowledge, skills, and experiences related to farming practices
  and techniques.
• Good communication skills, both oral and written.
• Skilled with using a computer for email, data entry, and spreadsheets.
• Ability to complete routine tasks under general supervision and within
  required time parameters.
• Ability to perform job duties under extreme environmental conditions.

• High school diploma or high school diploma equivalency is required.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience, or equivalent combination of education and work experience.
• Must have a valid driver's license and ability to drive according to the University Fleet Safety Policy.
• Employee must have or be able to obtain CDL license.
• As a condition of employment, it is mandatory that the employee lives in University of Arizona-provided housing on site at Safford Agricultural Center to be available to respond to emergency facility situations outside of normal business hours as they arise.

• Previous experience with cotton farming techniques and production activities.
• Experience operating, repairing, and maintaining farming and shop equipment, to include tractors and implements.
• Experience maintaining electronic records, managing irrigation schedules, and working within annual budget guidelines.