Summer Employment
The Montana Seed Potato Certification program hires 40 staff members every summer to partake in out Summer Disease Testing Program. Staff members rotate across two positions; Field Crew members and Lab members
Field Crews
The Field Crew members are responsible for collecting leaf samples across Montana from the potato plants in a specified manner! Collection of all samples across the state is finished around August 16. The Field Crew members average 7 weeks of work at about 12 hours per day, 60 hours per week. Overtime is paid over 40 hours per week. The pay rate begins at $20.00 an hour. In addition, travel per diem is paid. Transportation from MSU to the potato fields is provided. There will be a few overnight trips to the Kalispell/Polson area as well as Dillon.
Collecting Field samples is challenging outdoor work that can involve many continuous hours walking bent over in fields in all kinds of weather-- Mainly hot and sunny! You need to like working outdoors!
Lab Crew
The lab crew typically begins work around June 24. The job will end around Aug. 16-18. The lab crew processes the leaf samples that are collected by the field crew in a specified procedure. The lab uses Enzyme Linked Immunosorbant Assay (ELISA) testing to detect specific viruses that affect seed potatoes. A workday consists of 8 hours. The pay rate is $17.50 an hour.
Staff members need to be responsible, careful, and accurate when performing the assigned work.
If interested in any job, please see Jacob in the Potato Lab-room 223, Plant Growth Center for an application! Or fill out the application below and email it to potatocert@montana.edu.