Do you have an interest in agricultural botany or agronomy? If so, we are looking for an individual with excellent attention to detail as well as an aptitude for data collection to join our Team.
Based in the Seeds, Varieties & Trial Support branch at SASA, which is a division of the Agriculture and Rural Economy Directorate, your primary role will be to work within the Seeds, Varieties & Trial Support team to assist with preparation of seed for laboratory and field work. This will include, using a range of chemical and visual methods and carrying out identity and purity assessments of control plots and crops entered for certification.
A key element of the Technical Officer role is to be able to distinguish varietal impurities in both crops and control plots, therefore working to a high standard of accuracy and maintaining an up-to-date knowledge of cereal taxonomy will be essential.
You will be expected to attend and pass several training courses including The Initial Crop Inspectors Training Course – Theory, Intensive Crop Inspectors Training Course and Examination, Grain Identification Course and Seed Samplers training course held at SASA.
The work carried out may be in variable weather conditions therefore, an adaptable and flexible approach is required, especially during times of competing priorities, to ensure that blocks of work are completed when required This may involve assisting within other areas of SASA to ensure workloads and priorities are met.