Did you know that McCain Foods makes 1/3 of the world’s frozen potato products? If you’ve eaten French fries this week, chances are they were ours!
We are seeking an Agronomy Intern to join our Agriculture team in Othello, WA and Burley, ID. This opportunity will help you gain an understanding of North American potato agronomy practices and expose you to research science, applied science and the general operations of a commercial Agriculture department.
What You’ll Learn
From your first day, you are a full-member of the Othello/Burley Agriculture team and can see firsthand how our potatoes are grown and processed, from farm to fork. You will collaborate with the Agronomy, Field and Production staff as they make presentations and work directly with growers.
What You’ll Do
As our Agronomy Intern, you are assisting to develop new practices to improve efficiencies in crop production (yield and quality) and soil management (tillage, crop rotation, soil amendments and fertilization). Your tasks will include:
- Collaborating with University programs to monitor insects
- Assist with the conduct of local variety trials including seasonal growth observations and tuber growth measurements.
- Track growth of McCain contracted varieties, and evaluate their performance in the factory.
- Statistical evaluation to identify best practices and data trends
- Performing Observational Growth Surveys, Observational Yield Surveys, plot evaluation, data collection, field surveys and evaluations and petiole and soil sampling
- Assist with raw product alignment and scheduling activities.
We’re looking for a student who wants to apply their coursework in Agronomy or a closely related field to the food processing industry. Our ideal intern brings:
- Analytical skills to see patterns and trends in data,
- Communication skills to work with stakeholders inside and outside the organization,
- Self-reliance and resourcefulness to work smarter, not just harder,
- An ability to set realistic goals while multitasking,
- Confidence in a fast-paced environment,
- Computer skills in MS Office,
- A strong work ethic.
McCain Foods is one of the world’s leading food companies and one of the largest manufacturers of frozen potato specialties. Headquartered in Canada, we are a global company with over 17,000 employees and 41 production facilities on six continents. We are a family-owned business that cares passionately about our people, customers, products, communities and the environment.
Position Summary
Title: Agronomy Intern
Reporting to: Agronomist/ Field Representative
Location: Burley, ID or Othello, WA
Duration: Mid-May through Dec. 1 or otherwise agreed departure date
Education: Pursuing a B.S. in Agronomy, Plant Sciences or similar field
Key words: Analysis, Research, Crop, Operations, Agriculture, Food, Process, Potatoes Requirements: Must have a valid US driver’s license, be comfortable driving a full-size pick-up truck, be prepared to work outdoors in all-weather environments (rain, snow, heat, wind) and lift heavy objects (50 lb).
To apply for this position, please visit www.mccain.com , click on ‘Jobs/Careers’ and search using the term “Agronomy”.
Deadline for applications is Monday, February 15, 2016.