Research Manager

About This Role

The Research Manager will lead grain quality characterization and analytical research activities that support sorghum improvement, variety development, and market expansion. The position is responsible for implementing and advancing high-throughput grain quality phenotyping methods, including spectroscopy-based analyses; managing laboratory operations and quality data generation; validating and maintaining analytical calibrations; and coordinating sample collection and testing across public and private breeding programs. The Research Manager will collaborate with plant breeders, geneticists, and industry partners to integrate grain quality phenotypes into genetic and genomic analyses, support predictive model development, and facilitate the translation of research findings into improved sorghum varieties with enhanced nutritional, functional, and end-use value. The position will also manage projects, communicate findings to stakeholders, and contribute to strategic initiatives that strengthen the profitability and competitiveness of sorghum production.

About Us

We're proud to be recognized as one of the nation's top ag schools. It's an outgrowth of our dedication to advancing the science of agriculture and the art of teaching. Our faculty truly care about students, colleagues and the world we serve. Every day, we put our hands and minds together to work on better ways to achieve sustainability, feed billions, build agribusinesses and improve lives with thoughtful, well-researched use of plants, animals, numbers and words. Visit our website to learn more, https://www.ag.k-state.edu/

Worksite Description

This position is On-site.

All employees must reside in the United States when they begin working to comply with state law. K-State is unable to provide remote or hybrid work opportunities for residents of the state of Idaho.

What You'll Need to Succeed

Minimum Qualifications:

• Requires a Doctor of Philosophy or Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree and three years of relevant experience in the following:
  conducting cereal grain spectroscopy, analytical chemistry, or grain quality characterization research; working with grain sorghum, including research, breeding, quality assessment, or end-use evaluation; operating, calibrating, and maintaining laboratory instrumentation used for grain composition and quality analysis.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in Plant Sciences, Crop Sciences, Cereal Sciences, Agronomy, Food Science, Analytical Chemistry, or a closely related field.
• Five or more years of experience conducting cereal grain spectroscopy, analytical chemistry, or grain quality characterization research.
• Five or more years of experience working with grain sorghum and its improvement, quality, utilization, or end-use applications.
• Demonstrated expertise in chemometrics, multivariate statistical analysis, and predictive model development for spectroscopy-based applications.
• Experience developing, validating, and implementing calibration models for grain composition, quality, or processing traits.
• Proficiency with statistical and data analysis software such as R, Python, SAS, JMP, or similar platforms.
• Record of scientific publications, technical reports, or presentations related to grain quality, cereal chemistry, spectroscopy, or sorghum research.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to document methods, analyze results, and communicate findings to diverse audiences.

Sponsorship eligibility:

Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship

How to Apply

Please submit the following documents:

• Resume/CV
• Cover Letter
• Three Professional References

Application Window

Applications close on: July 9, 2026

Anticipated Hiring Pay Range

$64,709 - $70,000