Horticulture Technician

Description:

The Research Technician – Horticulture provides technical, hands-on support for top-ranked integrated field research and educational programs involving the North Carolina A&T State University Agricultural Research program, and the Center for Environmental Farming Systems Small Farm Unit, in Goldsboro, NC. This position is responsible to support and assist in a unique long-term specialty fruit and vegetable research program in the nation involving production, variety trials, data collections, data analysis, report preparation, and community engagement under the leadership of CEFS Director at NC A&T and the Small Farm Unit manager. Duties include crop establishment and maintenance; harvesting/post-harvest handling of crops associated with researchers and research support in CAES ; greenhouse and high tunnel management; recordkeeping, financial benchmark analysis, data collection and entry; and communication with researchers, staff, students, producer groups and community-based organizations, co-workers, and other organization staff.

Primary Function of Organizational Unit:

N.C. A&T is a public, land-grant, doctoral research institution and has been the largest historically Black university in the country for the past decade. With an enrollment of 14,311 students in Fall 2024, the university offers 59 undergraduate degree programs, 36 master’s programs, and 12 doctoral programs. It is America’s top producer of Black graduates in Engineering and Agricultural Science bachelor’s programs, as well as a top five producer in numerous additional disciplines, including Liberal Arts and Communications/Journalism. It also ranks no. 3 in master’s degrees awarded to Black graduates in Engineering Technologies and Related Fields, no. 4 in master’s degrees in Engineering, and no. 11 best business school for women in the nation.

Nationally recognized for its leadership and excellence in STEM education and research, N.C. A&T is classified as “R2-High Research Activity” in the Carnegie Classifications and is poised to achieve “R1-Very High Research Activity” status. It also holds Carnegie’s earned credential in Community Engagement and the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities ( APLU ) Innovation and Economic Prosperity designation. With an annual economic impact of $2.4 billion, N.C. A&T plays a vital role as a higher-education economic driver in North Carolina’s Piedmont Triad region and across a state that is ranked No. 1 in the nation for the second straight year as “best for business” by the CNBC financial network.

The College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences ( CAES ) at NC A&T is the largest college of Agriculture among HBCUs and top producer of African Americans with degrees in Agriculture and second national supplier of minority admits in Veterinary Medicine. CAES has a rich history of innovation and application of cutting-edge technology across its four academic departments: Department of Agribusiness, Applied Economics and Agriscience Education; Department of Animal Sciences; Department of Family and Consumer Sciences; and Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Design. Within these departments, students are offered many opportunities for classroom learning, research, and field work. In addition, the college’s research and experiential learning are strengthened by non-academic units, including the University farm and the Center for Excellence in Post-Harvest Technologies at the North Carolina Research campus. Through its Agricultural Research and Cooperative Extension Programs, CAES conducts research on issues of national importance and provides research-based extension training and services to citizens, communities, and industry partners across the state of North Carolina.

The Center for Environmental Farming System ( CEFS ) is a three-way partnership including North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (N.C. A&T), NC State University, and NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. CEFS has 30-year history in supporting and promoting sustainable farming, farm viability, and innovative technology to achieve long-term equity and resilience. The Small Farm Unit ( SFU ) of CEFS is a place of 30 acres used for research, teaching, extension, and outreach projects that focus on organic and sustainable production practices to a wide variety of audiences. The Research Technician will be housed in Goldsboro, North Carolina.

Internal job number: 000196

Requirements:

Demonstrated possession of the competencies necessary to perform the work.

Preferred:

MS in Horticulture, Agribusiness, Agroecology, or equivalency is preferred; Working experiences at commercial farms preferred and at least two years of related fruit and vegetable production experience; or equivalent combination of training and experience. At least two years of experience in working (hands-on) in horticulture with a focus on fruit and vegetable production and at least one years (hands-on) experience with high tunnel, greenhouse and organic production systems. Knowledge of farm financial analysis and food safety. Experience in collecting and inputting data (i.e. production costs, crop yields). Experience in preparing for field days, tours and other on-farm educational events. Knowledge of soil sampling, variety trials, cover crop productions/benefits, and report preparation and dissemination. Ability to use and maintain basic horticulture farm equipment (tractors and implements, hand tools, zero-turn mower, tiller, weed eater, etc.) as well as basic computer software for recordkeeping and financial analysis ( EXCEL ). Ability to lift at least 50 lbs and work in inclement weather.

Job Closing Date: 02/28/2026