The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness – Agriculture Development Branch in Guelph is seeking highly motivated, enthusiastic and energetic students to apply for our summer positions! These summer student positions will provide an excellent opportunity for those interested in early career experience in horticulture production, pest management, plant pathology, entomology, research or the agricultural service sector.

This position working with nursery crops will provide the opportunity to learn about plant diseases, insect pests and production practices while also helping to develop key digital tools for the nursery and landscape sector.

The successful candidate will be responsible for both field and office work. Field work includes setting up research plots, scouting for pest issues, recording insect trap data, and assisting in data collection from May to the end of August. Office work will include data entry, developing our CropIPM database as well as literature reviews.

The nursery crop field research assistant position will be based out of Guelph. Applications are open now! Please ensure to check the nursery crops box in the application window when applying via the link below. Only applications received through the Ontario Public Service Career Portal (link below) will be accepted.

Organization: Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness
Division/Branch: Economic Development Division / Agriculture Development Branch
Position Title: Field Research Assistant – Nursery Crops
Job Term: Temporary for up to 18 weeks
Locations: 1 Stone Road, Guelph, Ontario
Salary: Level 2 – $18.05 / hour, based on a 36.25 hour work week
Start Date: April 14^th, 2025 to May 5^th, 2025

Please review the qualifications for this position. What we are looking for: 

• You work independently or as part of a team; you plan, organize and prioritize your work to meet competing deadlines.
• You are willing to travel to rural locations (frequently not accessible by public transportation).
• You are familiar with farming and or interested in horticulture crop production.
• You enjoy working in an outdoor environment with physical activity involved.
• You apply your interpersonal skills to work within a multi-disciplinary team.
• You apply your observational skills and attention to detail to conduct research, field monitoring, data collection and entry.
• You are able to apply your written communication skills to prepare a variety of documents (e.g. reports, factsheets, and articles).
• You are familiar with computer-based software applications including Word and Excel.
• In your application, please list any relevant courses you have taken or are taking that relate to plant production, entomology, plant pathology, weed science, pesticides, IPM, or horticulture.

Requirements:

• You must have an Ontario full G Driver’s License and a good driving record.
• You must demonstrate how you meet the eligibility criteria, skills and experience we are looking for clearly, completely and concisely. We rely on the information you provide to us.
• You must be currently enrolled in a secondary or post-secondary school, or have completed all academic requirements for graduation within 6 months of first day of employment.
• You must be a resident of Ontario.
• You must be eligible to work in Canada.

How to Apply:

• You must apply via the Ontario Public Service Career Portal. The full job position can be found here: Ontario Public Service Careers – Job Preview for Job ID 223816
  
• When applying, be sure to select ‘Nursery Crops‘ and ‘Guelph‘ as well as any other horticulture fields that you are interested in applying for.
• Closing Date: January 11^th, 2025 at 11:59 PM – Late applications will not be accepted
• If you have problems applying through the link above, please contact: Cassie Russell (Nursery and Landscape Specialist) at this email address.

If you have a disability and require accommodation to apply, please contact the supervisor above.