Student Help - Field Corn Breeding & Genetics

Department Overview:

Field Corn Breeding and Genetics program in the Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences is led by Dr. Shawn Kaeppler and Dr. Natalia de Leon.

Anticipated Start Date:

June 1, 2026

Anticipated End Date (If Applicable):

August 28, 2026

Remote Work Eligibility Detail:

All Remote

 

Anticipated Hours Per Week:

Minimum: 30 Maximum: 40

Schedule:

30-40 hours per week in June; 40 (or more) hours per week mid-July to mid-August.

Schedule in June and second half of August is flexible, with work Monday-Friday, 30-40 hours per week.

During corn pollination (~approximately July 15 to August 15) the work schedule is 6 days per week including weekends, at 40(+) hours per week, with a scheduled weekday off.

Salary/Wage Range/Lump Sum:

$17.00

Number of Positions:

3

Qualifications:

-No experience needed, training will be provided.
-Successful candidates must be current or continuing (Fall 2026) undergraduate students.
-Non-agricultural majors interested in an outdoor experience are encouraged to apply.
-Must have reliable transportation to and from the West Madison Ag Research Station, located at 8502 Mineral Point Road.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

-Affinity for outdoor activities is highly recommended; most activities related to this summer job opportunity involve working with corn plants in an outdoor field setting.
-Ability to work in varying outdoor summer conditions (humidity, wind, pollen, heat, etc)
-Candidates should be organized and reliable, with good communication skills and attention to detail.
-Able to work independently and as part of a team.
-All majors welcome!

Position Summary/Job Duties:

-Field related/outdoor duties include making controlled hand pollinations in field corn breeding nursery fields according to given instructions, detasseling corn plants, taking plant measurements and collecting phenotypic data, field maintenance (weeding, hoeing, ID tagging, staking, etc.) and other tasks as needed.
-Indoor/semi-indoor duties include cleaning harvest supplies, organizing samples, assisting with cold storage cleaning and sample organization, preparing seeds and filling envelopes for the next planting season, and other tasks as needed.

Physical Demands:

Must be able to work outdoors in summer weather conditions (humidity, wind, pollen, heat, etc). Must be able to stand and walk throughout the day in an agricultural field setting.

Institutional Statements:

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

UW-Madison is an Equal Employment, Equal Access Employer committed to increasing the diversity of our workforce.

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background-people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: diversity.wisc.edu

Accommodation Statement:

If you need to request an accommodation because of a disability, you can find information about how to make a request at the following website:https://employeedisabilities.wisc.edu/disability-accommodation-information-for-applicants/