Research Associate (Agricultural Research)

Location: Onsite near Kalispell, Montana, United States; occasional travel within Montana may be required.

Company

hirify.global’s Northwestern Agricultural Research Center conducts agricultural field and laboratory research and collaborates with farmers, ranchers, agribusinesses, and the MSU Cooperative Extension Service.

What you will do

• Support the field crop physiology research program and help design, establish, and maintain field studies.
• Apply irrigation, nutrient, pesticide, insecticide, and herbicide treatments in research plots.
• Measure, collect, analyze, and summarize research data for statistical analysis.
• Operate and maintain field, laboratory, farm, seed-cleaning, and seed-processing equipment.
• Supervise part-time and seasonal staff and collaborate with researchers, producers, and agricultural partners.
• Work independently, including outside traditional business hours when research protocols require it.

Requirements

• B.S. in agronomy, biology, or a closely related discipline.
• Field research experience with agronomic crops, including maintaining and harvesting research plots.
• Experience measuring, recording, and managing research data for statistical analysis.
• Experience supervising part-time or temporary staff.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Valid driver’s license, acceptable driving record, and ability to drive a pickup truck while towing trailers or farm implements; an out-of-state license must be replaced with a Montana license within 60 days of hire.

Nice to have

• M.S. in agronomy, crop science, biology, or a related field.
• Experience with irrigation, nutrient management, cultivar evaluation, or plant breeding.
• Knowledge of Northwest Montana crops and production practices.
• Experience with SAS, ARM, or other statistical software and with field and laboratory equipment.
• Experience applying pesticides or presenting research to farmers and other stakeholders.

Culture & Benefits

• Professional appointment with a fiscal-year contract.
• Full-time position at 1.0 FTE with benefits eligibility.
• Hands-on applied research supporting farmers and agribusinesses in Northwest Montana.
• Work involves outdoor field conditions, rough terrain, farm machinery, extreme weather, dust, pollen-bearing plants, and pesticides.
• Physical requirements include entering and operating farm machinery and moving up to 60 pounds.
• This position is not eligible for new sponsorship.

Hiring process

• Submit a resume and cover letter.
• Application screening begins September 14, 2026, and continues until an adequate applicant pool is established.