Graduate Student Positions-Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department-OSU

The Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department at Oklahoma State University (located in Stillwater, Oklahoma) has three (3) open Graduate Research Assistantship positions for qualified Master or PhD students to conduct applied research projects on different aspects of sustainable agricultural water management and irrigation engineering. The start date could be as early as Jan. 11, 2016 (Spring 2016 semester), but no later than May 18, 2016. Below please find more information about the projects.

Improving on-farm irrigation management using sensor-based technologies
The goal of this project is to study utilization of sensor-based technologies to improve irrigation decision making and management at farm scale. The types of sensors to be utilized cover a wide range, including but not limited to flow meters, rain gauges, soil water content sensors, and crop canopy temperature sensors.

Remote Sensing of Agricultural Water Use and Drought
This project attempts to better understand the dynamics and interrelationship between evapotranspiration and drought in agricultural systems using space- and air-borne remote sensing approaches. The graduate student will be involved in processing imagery and analyzing remotely-sensed and in-situ data.

A Closer Look at the Irrigation Component in Hydrological Models 

The goal of this project is to improve the performance of hydrological models by modifying the way irrigation efficiency and irrigation water balance is currently represented in these models. The graduate student will be working in close collaboration with scientists at USDA-ARS on a range of monitoring and modeling tasks.

Minimum requirements include a bachelor degree in agricultural engineering or a closely related field, as well as the ability to participate in field projects in remote areas. Interested students may apply by sending their resume and a cover letter stating their interest and any previous experience to:

Dr. Saleh Taghvaeian
Assistant Professor
Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering Department
Oklahoma State University
111 Agricultural Hall
Stillwater, OK 74078
(P): 405-744-8395
saleh.taghvaeian@okstate.edu

 

Nursery Supervisor Trainee/ Internship position-Webster and Venus locations

The qualified candidate will display initiative, good communication/ interpersonal skills and be able to work independently and as part of a team. Plan, organize, direct, control, and coordinate activities of workers engaged in the process of cultivate the trees. Work under direct supervision of the Nursery/Farm Manager, to gain knowledge and experience and to make sure productions goals are met. Assist in all activities connected to the Nursery/Farm. Assist with conducting safety meetings to the greenhouse staff on a regular basis to make sure all staff is well trained and are following the procedures. Provides all documentation required is done on time. Must be able to lead by example and follow all company rules and regulations. Assist with weekend duties. Directs procedures involving grafting, site preparation, planting, irrigation, pruning, weeding, fumigating, and insect and disease control. Observe workers to detect inefficient or unsafe work procedures or identify problems, initiate corrective action as necessary.

Skills / Attributes

• Demonstrated written and oral communication skills

• 2 year degree in the Agricultural field.
Cutrale Farms in Sebring, Fl. is a World Wide family orientated company. The company has been in business for over 40 years and offers an excellent benefit packet and competitive wages. Housing provided.

"Think About It" training required for new students Summer B, Fall 2015

ATTENTION ALL NEW STUDENTS BEGINNING SUMMER B 2015 AND FALL 2015!

All new students who began at UF Summer B or Fall 2015 are required to complete the training prior to registering for Spring classes. This includes undergraduate, graduate and professional students (including new graduate students who previously attended UF); both online and residential students; and both degree seeking and non-degree seeking. Students who have not yet completed the training will have a hold preventing them from registering until they have finished.

The Think About It module is an interactive online training course designed to prepare college students for the challenges and responsibilities of college life. In addressing the interconnection between drug and alcohol abuse and sexual violence, it encourages students to reflect critically on the personal beliefs, social norms, and cultural pressures that enable high-risk behaviors.

Position - Field Agricultural Engineer - Vegetables

About Blue River
Blue River Technology serves the agricultural industry with revolutionary computer-vision based robotics designed to unlock greater crop yield potential. Our proprietary systems perform a range of tasks, from making real-time plant thinning decisions to processing huge amounts of plant image data to generate useful metrics for plant breeders. We envision a future where farmers use robotics to individually care for each plant in their fields. We have begun by targeting vegetable crops grown locally here in California, and have been recently expanding our work to include a wider range of crops and geographies. Our team of 30 comes from diverse backgrounds in robotics, computer vision, agriculture, and business. We receive support and investment from venture capital firms, including Khosla Ventures and Data Collective.

Position description

We are looking for a skilled Field Engineer with a background in agricultural machinery to help support and maintain our fleet of lettuce thinning machines and play a key role in enabling further product development. The primary role of this position is to troubleshoot problems in the field and provide support leading to short-term and long-term fixes to the equipment. Tasks include performing root-cause analysis and repairs, assisting operators in resolving problems in the field, tracking issues and progress in fixing them, and communicating with the remote support and engineering team on a regular basis.

Requirements

· Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering or related technical areas
· Experience working with machinery in the field
· Ability to diagnose and resolve challenging technical issues
· Excellent communication and teamwork skills

In addition, the following are a plus:

· Advanced degree in Engineering or related technical areas
· Experience working on electromechanical and/or computer-based systems
· Experience providing field support for agricultural or related products

Interested?

Please send your resume to careers@bluerivert.com with “Field Ag Engineer - Vegetables” in the subject line and include a brief explanation of why your interests and background match this position.

News, Events & Opportunities from Sustainable UF

• UF Competing in Nation’s Largest Reusable Cup Competition
  UF is one of just 16 colleges selected to participate in the 2015 Kill the Cup Challenge, a competition to encourage students, faculty and staff to bring reusable mugs when they visit campus Starbucks locations. The university that serves the highest percentage of drinks in reusable mugs will receive social impact grants to fund on-campus sustainability projects. This competition runs from Oct. 5 – 30! Find out more by visiting our website or joining our Facebook page.
• Free bicycle helmets available to students, faculty and staff!
  The Community Services Division of the University Police Department has received 350 helmets from the Ped Bike Resource Center. Students, faculty or staff in need of a helmet can stop by the office to pick one up from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm M-F. at Building 596, Museum Road. E-mail UFPD for more information.
• Sustainable Transportation Fair
  Wednesday, Oct. 21
  10:00 am – 2:00 pm on the NE Corner of the Reitz Union Lawn (Behind Marston Library and the Hub)
• Food Day 2015: Toward a Greener Diet
  Thursday, Oct. 22
  5:00 – 7:00 pm at the Fresh Food Company on Inner Road

ASABE Meeting Monday 10/12

Are you looking to get involved?! Do you want to gain technical experience and have fun doing it?! Come out to our next ASABE General Body Meeting where we will help you get the experience you've been looking for!

The meeting will take place this Monday, 10/12/15, at 6pm in Frazier Rogers Hall Room 122. This is a very special meeting as you will have the opportunity to ask our Design Team Captains about the different design competition teams ASABE has to offer! In addition, you can help plan upcoming trips, research opportunities, and social festivities.

UF Wetlands Club Meeting 10/6

UF WETLANDS CLUB MEETING

6pm Tuesday, October 6
1031 McCarty D

Free Pizza and Drinks

Speaker: Dr. David Kaplan
“Going dry in the land of water?
A Whirlwind Tour of Florida’s Hydrological History and Looming Water Crisis”