Job Information
Harvard University Plant Growth Facilities Manager in Cambridge, Massachusetts
65701BRAuto req ID:65701BRJob Code:329057 Facilities & Oper Manager Department Office Location:USA - MA - Cambridge Business Title:Plant Growth Facilities ManagerSub-Unit:Sciences Salary Grade (https://hr.harvard.edu/salary-ranges#ranges) :057Time Status:Full-time Union:00 - Non Union, Exempt or Temporary Basic Qualifications:
BSc in Biology required with specialization or significant expertise in Plant Science or Horticulture.
5+ years of greenhouse experience with a minimum of two years of greenhouse management experience.
Additional Qualifications and Skills:
Advanced degree in horticulture, plant biology, or related field preferred. At least two years’ greenhouse management experience. Proven expertise in growing quality plants, optimizing greenhouse systems, effective pest control, plant nutrition, and development and enforcement of protocols and procedures required. Working experience with and knowledge of pest management principles and practices, plant propagation/culture methods, and soil and growth media preparation required. Proven experience with relevant pesticides, fertilizers, safety, and legal requirements, and the correct use of equipment, such as hand and power tools. Experience programming and operating greenhouse environments and controlled environment chambers. Oversight of facility including experience integrating greenhouse computer control systems (ventilation, evaporative cooling, exhaust fans. thermal shade curtains) and manual controls such as venting internal fans. Experience with financial management including budget preparation and monitoring preferred. Excellent organizational skills: ability to prioritize tasks, work under pressure, and manage multiple projects simultaneously. Must be detail oriented. Ability to work well with multiple constituents, including faculty, students, researchers, vendors, and administrative and facilities staff. Excellent interpersonal skills; excellent verbal and written communication skills; tact, judgment, and diplomacy. Must be able to build and maintain productive relationships. Experience supervising regular staff members and functional supervision of all users of greenhouse and growth chambers. Demonstrated ability to anticipate, perceive, diagnose, prioritize, and remedy problems, and adapt, combine, or make improvements to systems, services, and/or processes before problems become serious and detrimental. Ability to recognize when a problem needs to be triaged, escalated, and communicated. Ability to work independently and make decisions. Ability to ensure compliance with Federal, State, and local regulations as well as University policies relating to greenhouse and growth chamber functions.
Additional Information:In order to be considered for this position, a cover letter and resume must be submitted.
We are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position.
*All formal written offers will be made by FAS Human Resources.Department:Organismic and Evolutionary Biology (OEB)Pre-Employment Screening:Education, IdentitySchedule:Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PMJob Function:Facilities Position Description:
Support of Research and Teaching Using Plants
Research – Understands goals of researchers’ experiments and advises, trains, and works with researchers to maintain protocols. Establishes and monitors growth parameters and environmental controls, including temperature and photoperiod regimes, supplemental light intensities, growth media selections, fertilizer and watering, and cultural practices. Maintain a diverse teaching collection. May be the primary person responsible for all aspects of plant care for various plant species, large monocultures, and transgenic plant material. Responsible for troubleshooting and remedying problems before they become serious and detrimental to experiments.
Teaching – Understand course syllabi and provide plant material to achieve teaching goals.
Communication - interact with faculty and staff to determine project needs and responsibilities. Communicate policies, plant growth/health, and facility status.
Training - troubleshoots questions about plants, pests, and plant growth. Acts as a resource person to users regarding growing methods and techniques.
Pest and Disease Control - assess and diagnose pest control, including conducting applications of chemical pesticides as needed to keep certain plants pest-free. Conducts pesticide applications, maintains spray equipment and pesticide spray log, records, and reports. Establishes and maintains USDA/APHIS permits, records, protocols, and quarantine procedures.
Plant Facilities and Environment
Greenhouse Expansion – Will work closely with faculty, FAS Physical Resources, design and engineering teams to ensure that upgraded facilities meet all faculty research and teaching needs.
Facilities Maintenance - Works with FAS Physical Resources to maintain, repair, improve, and manage mechanical, environmental, and computer systems of greenhouses and growth chambers. Find and remedy problems before they become serious and detrimental. Supervises the general operation of the Growth Facility and ensures the facility is clean, safe, and operating smoothly. Will maintain Common Garden.
Emergency Response - Acts as the primary call-back person on the 24/7 alarm system. Responsible for growth facilities, plants, and contents of facilities during emergencies, including equipment failure, power outage, etc. Promptly communicate facility status to supervisor and users to safeguard experiments and plants.
Growth Facilities Management
Policies and procedures – will develop, implement, and train staff and users of plant growth facilities in proper protocols, safety procedures, and growth facility policies.
Budget/Finance - will prepare, track, and maintain budget, ensuring fiscal responsibility while striving to meet the department’s goals.
Inventory - responsible for ordering and maintaining all supplies and equipment to operate growth facilities within budgetary allowances.
Space- responsible for the space allocation to each research group; maintains space allocation record. Researches and implements web-based space booking tool.
Safety/Emergency Preparedness – responsible for safety in the growth facilities. Maintains pesticide spray log, label log, records, and reports. Establishes spill procedures. Maintains chemical inventory and records.
Supervision and training
Supervision- responsible for the supervision of support staff.
Facility Users - responsible for training all facility users in plant culture and safety procedures.
School/Unit:Faculty of Arts and Sciences EEO Statement:We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.Physical Requirements:
Physical essential functions: ability to perform strenuous manual labor, including climbing ladders and frequent lifting/carrying heavy loads up to 50 lbs. Exertion of physical or sensory effort may result in moderate fatigue, strain, or risk of injury.
Working Conditions:
This position is considered ESSENTIAL STAFF. Must be able to work weekends and holidays. Must be able to work during periods of adverse weather and during emergencies.
Work takes place in a research facility with greenhouses, growth chambers, and lab spaces. The working environment at times will be dusty and dirty. Exposure to various chemicals and noxious smells. Working hours may fall outside of University business hours from time to time depending on the usage of equipment, potential emergencies such as malfunctions of essential equipment, power outages, etc.
Job Summary:
The Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology of Harvard University seeks a Plant Growth Facilities Manager to oversee, operate and maintain varied and technically complex growth facilities on the Cambridge campus. Working closely with OEB and other Harvard faculty, researchers, and staff under the supervision of the Plant Biology Committee and the Executive Director of Administration, the Plant Growth Facilities Manager will ensure the production of high-quality plants and environments for a full range of research programs and teaching via proper planning, coordination, technical expertise and staff and facility management.
The facilities currently consist of approximately 9,000 square feet of greenhouses, growth chambers, and related workspace, plus outdoor common garden space that support the research and teaching activities of multiple researchers from OEB, MCB and other departments. Our plant research community is vital and diverse in terms of research questions and plant model systems. The Plant Growth Facilities manager will play a critical role in the planned expansion of and investment in our plant growth facilities.
Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging:Harvard University views equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging as the pathway to achieving inclusive excellence and fostering a campus culture where everyone can thrive. We strive to create a community that draws upon the widest possible pool of talent to unify excellence and diversity while fully embracing individuals from varied backgrounds, cultures, races, identities, life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, and values.Benefits:We invite you to visit Harvard's Total Rewards website (https://hr.harvard.edu/totalrewards) to learn more about our outstanding benefits package, which may include:
Paid Time Off: 3-4 weeks of accrued vacation time per year (3 weeks for support staff and 4 weeks for administrative/professional staff), 12 accrued sick days per year, 12.5 holidays plus a Winter Recess in December/January, 3 personal days per year (prorated based on date of hire), and up to 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents who are primary care givers.
Health and Welfare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, disability and life insurance programs, along with voluntary benefits. Most coverage begins as of your start date.
Work/Life and Wellness: Child and elder/adult care resources including on campus childcare centers, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness programs related to stress management, nutrition, meditation, and more.
Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with contributions from 5% to 15% of eligible compensation, based on age and earnings with full vesting after 3 years of service.
Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive program including $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and reduced tuition through other participating Harvard graduate schools.
Tuition Reimbursement: Program that provides 75% to 90% reimbursement up to $5,250 per calendar year for eligible courses taken at other accredited institutions.
Professional Development: Programs and classes at little or no cost, including through the Harvard Center for Workplace Development and LinkedIn Learning.
Commuting and Transportation: Various commuter options handled through the Parking Office, including discounted parking, half-priced public transportation passes and pre-tax transit passes, biking benefits, and more.
Harvard Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks: Access to Harvard athletic and fitness facilities, libraries, campus events, credit union, and more, as well as discounts to various types of services (legal, financial, etc.) and cultural and leisure activities throughout metro-Boston.
Work Format:On-Site Work Format Details:This position is based on-campus in Cambridge, Massachusetts (no remote option). This is in-person during emergency situations. Additional details will be discussed during the interview process. Certain visa types may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.About Us:What Makes OEB Special?
Overall, the combination of top-tier faculty, cutting-edge research, collaborative environment, and resources at the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology makes it an attractive place for professionals in the field of biology. Our plant research community is growing, both in OEB and other departments, and is highly diverse in terms of research questions and plant model systems.
OEB is a diverse and vibrant department with a broad range of research and teaching interests, ranging from the evolution and control of gene expression patterns within individuals and populations to the dynamics of ecosystems. Field and laboratory studies are key to understanding the evolution of organisms, how biodiversity is generated and maintained, how organisms work, and how organisms interact with their environment. OEB has close working associations with its allied institutions: the Museum of Comparative Zoology (MCZ) and the Harvard University Herbaria (HUH), as well as the Arnold Arboretum and the Harvard Forest. These institutions and their collections offer an unparalleled, rich set of resources for OEB students, faculty, visitors and staff. www.oeb.harvard.edu