Student Scientist Worker- Plant and Soil Science

University of Kentucky

Equal Employment Opportunity/M/F/disability/protected veteran status.

Posting Details Posting Details Job TitleStudent Scientist Worker- Plant and Soil ScienceRequisition NumberDU14444Department Name81060:PLANT AND SOIL SCIENCESWork LocationLexington, KYSalary Range15.50/hourlyType of PositionStudentPosition Time Status Part-TimeRequired EducationN/ARequired Related ExperienceTo be discussed and determined by hiring supervisorRequired License/Registration/CertificationN/APhysical RequirementsPositions may include, but not limited to, sitting for long periods of time, repetitive motion, lifting, pushing/pulling, exposure to heat/cold.ShiftAs required by project/supervisor.Job SummaryWe are seeking motivated undergraduate or graduate students with strong geospatial analytical skills to join a summer research project examining why some farmers underperform in “good” counties under USDA’s Agriculture Risk Coverage–County (ARCCO) program. Using remotesensing tools and publicly available databases, we aim to map areas where farmers may be structurally disadvantaged under countylevel payment rules.


Your role will involve:

• Extracting and processing geospatial data from CDL, Sentinel2 L2A, NASS QuickStats, NLCD, and Kentucky GIS portals
• Computing vegetation indices (NDVI/NDRE) and building spatial composites
• Identifying and mapping lowvigor zones and persistent hot/cold spots
• Working with countylevel yield benchmarks and policy datasets
• Assisting with spatial statistics or clustering analyses (e.g., fuzzy kmeans)

Ideal candidates will have experience with:

• ArcGIS Pro, QGIS, or Google Earth Engine
• Python (rasterio, geopandas, numpy), R, or similar
• Remotesensing or spatial modeling
• (Bonus) Statistical modeling or machine learning

Position details:

• Start date: Any time (Spring or Summer)
• Hours: Flexible; parttime or up to 40 hrs/week in summer
• Compensation: Hourly pay (based on experience) or research credits applicable toward degree completion
• Work environment: Hybrid; some oncampus meetings with remote work supported

Skills / Knowledge / AbilitiesSkills/knowledge will vary depending on project and area of research.Does this position have supervisory responsibilities? NoPreferred Education/Experience

• ArcGIS Pro, QGIS, or Google Earth Engine
• Python (rasterio, geopandas, numpy), R, or similar
• Remotesensing or spatial modelin
• (Bonus) Statistical modeling or machine learning

Deadline to Apply05/02/2026Our University CommunityWe value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place for everyone to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors, the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus.

The University follows both the federal and state Constitutions as well as all applicable federal and state laws on nondiscrimination. The University provides equal opportunities for qualified persons in all aspects of institutional operations and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnic origin, religion, creed, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, uniformed service, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information or social or economic status.

Any candidate offered a position may be required to pass pre-employment screenings as mandated by University of Kentucky Human Resources. These screenings may include a national background check and/or drug screen.

Posting Specific Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

Applicant Documents
Required Documents

1. Resume

Optional Documents

1. Cover Letter

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