Job Information
Texas A&M University Non Affiliated Student Technician in Dallas, Texas
Job Title
Non Affiliated Student Technician
Agency
Texas A&M Agrilife Research
Department
Dallas
Proposed Minimum Salary
Commensurate
Job Location
Dallas, Texas
Job Type
Student Worker
Job Description
The Texas A&M AgriLife Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture seeks a Student Technician I to work in close collaboration and coordination with the Healthy Living research team. The Student Technician I will provide project managers and staff with administrative and technical support in implementing the Strong Teens for Healthy Schools program. The Strong Teens program is a physical activity and nutrition program that aims to improve the cardiovascular health of middle school students while empowering them to build leadership skills and build a sustainable healthy change in their school’s health environment. Support includes preparing materials for program lessons, teaching the lessons on site, attending weekly meetings, and assisting with program evaluation activities (i.e., health measurements, surveys).
Job Description
Texas A&M AgriLife is an organization that supports healthy living for all Texans, through the research of targeted agricultural practices that yield nutritious food sources, outreach programs that train community members on growing their own food, and preservation of natural resources via eco-friendly means, all while following practices that lead to a stronger Texas economy. Overseen by the Office of the Vice Chancellor and Dean for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M AgriLife includes the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Texas A&M AgriLife Research, the College of Agriculture & Life Sciences at Texas A&M University, Texas A&M Forest Service, and Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory.
The Texas A&M AgriLife Institute for Advancing Health Through Agriculture (IHA) is the world’s first academic institute to bring together precision nutrition, responsive agriculture, and social and behavioral research to reduce diet-related chronic disease in a way that considers environmental and economic effects. The IHA comprises three focus areas—healthy living, precision nutrition, and responsive agriculture—and unites experts from various fields such as agriculture, nutrition, behavioral sciences, social sciences, life sciences, engineering, data and computation science, and economics.
Healthy Living programs implement, evaluate, and disseminate scientific solutions, applicable to all Texans, for improved public health. We aim to understand the means of building communities around healthy living and facilitating the delivery of current, accurate, evidence-based programs, guidelines, and information that supports healthier living for Texans. Areas of particular interest to Healthy Living include health disparities; food access, food systems, food and nutrition insecurity, dietary patterns and behaviors; diet/food intervention and program development and evaluation; physical activity behaviors and intervention development; policy system and environmental change; citizen science and community engaged research; and mHealth technologies for monitoring, assessment, and interventions.
The Healthy Living team works on a broad portfolio of extramurally funded, community-engaged research and active collaborations with community partners, cooperative extension, and many academic and nonprofit organizations throughout Texas and beyond. The IHA’s Healthy Living program welcomes applications from scholars who possess related expertise and are eager to play a role in our supportive, interdisciplinary research group, specifically focused on solutions to address risk factors for obesity and related chronic diseases.
The IHA’s Healthy Living program is housed at the Texas A&M AgriLife Center at Dallas, which focuses on scientific research, public outreach, and education programs. The Center is a regional hub for all Texas A&M AgriLife activity. It is one of 13 AgriLife Centers across the state - each focusing on issues specific to their region. Initiatives at Dallas hinge on healthy living, urban agriculture and forestry, and water and land resource management.
Specific Duties and Responsibilities:
Participates fully in all orientation and training provided by AgriLife Research
Prepares materials for and teaches all assigned lessons in the Strong Teens for Healthy Schools program to middle school students
Attends weekly meetings throughout the school year to discuss program implementation
Enrolls in and completes the Master Wellness Volunteer program ( https://agrilifeextension.tamu.edu/asset-local/master-wellness-volunteer-program/ )
Serves as a role model for youth in the program by exhibiting appropriate and professional behavior.
Works in partnership with school staff, AgriLife Research and Extension staff, and fellow student implementers to plan and lead the program.
Provides direct mentor support to assist youth in learning program content.
Assists in program evaluation, including reports, sign-in sheets, evaluation surveys, and other record-keeping activities and other data collection activities.
Participates in leadership development opportunities.
Skills/Traits
Ability to work independently and manage priorities and tasks as assigned.
Excellent oral and written communication skills.
Highly organized and detail oriented.
Professional demeanor.
Comfortable working with middle school youth.
Qualifications
Currently enrolled in an undergraduate/graduate program
Motivated to learn.
Comfortable with public speaking.
Able to work as part of a team.
Ability to travel to local schools in the county to deliver programs.
Preferred Qualifications:
Bilingual (English and Spanish)
Location:
- Student implementers will be assigned to a specific teaching site in the following counties (Dallas, Cherokee, Milam)
Time Commitment:
At least one school year; expected to work 5-10 hours per week (program implementation, weekly meetings, material prep, travel)
Hourly Rate:
$15/hour
Applicant Instructions:
- Please attach fall semester availability.
All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.
Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Veterans/Disability Employer.
