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Student - Work Study - Part-Time Research Assistant - Grab Lab

Part-time

Penn State University

University Park, PAPart-timePosted 1y agoStill listed today

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At a glance

Compensation
No compensation found
Location
University Park, PA
Role Type
Research
Schedule
Part-time
Work Authorization
Not specified

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Job overview

The Grab Lab in Penn State’s Department of Entomology seeks undergraduate research assistants to support studies of insect ecology in agricultural systems. Projects examine pesticide and heat-stress effects on buzz pollination, ecologically based pest management for vegetable crops, and smart traps for sweet corn pests. Assistants work with graduate students and senior researchers, and successful students may have opportunities to design their own research projects.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Plant and Insect Colony Care, nice to haveExperimental Protocol Design, nice to haveData Collection and Curation, nice to haveR Data Analysis, nice to haveResearch Communication, nice to have

Qualifications

Undergraduate Student, nice to have

Full job description

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

  • CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

  • CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

  • If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click “Apply” and complete the application process for external applicants.

JOB DESCRIPTION AND POSITION REQUIREMENTS: The Grab Lab in the department of Entomology is looking for undergraduate research assistants to help us conduct studies on the ecology of insects in agricultural systems. Projects in the lab include examining the combined impact of pesticides and heat stress on buzz pollination, investigating ecologically based pest management strategies for vegetable crops and developing smart traps for monitoring and mapping sweet corn pests. Undergraduate research assistants will work directly with graduate students and senior researchers. Students who working successfully in the lab will have opportunities to design their own research projects.

Duties and responsibilities

  • Care for plants and insect colonies
  • Collaboratively design experimental protocols
  • Collect and curate data
  • Learn data analysis techniques in R and conduct analyses
  • Share results of research work with the public, scientific and stakeholder audiences through presentations, written and online communications

Start Date: May 12, 2025

The Pennsylvania State University is committed to and accountable for advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and sustainability in all of its forms. We embrace individual uniqueness, foster a culture of inclusion that supports both broad and specific diversity initiatives, leverage the educational and institutional benefits of diversity in society and nature, and engage all individuals to help them thrive. We value inclusion as a core strength and an essential element of our public service mission.

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS: Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review here.

Employment with the University will require successful completion of background check(s) in accordance with University policies.

EEO IS THE LAW Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status. If you are unable to use our online application process due to an impairment or disability, please contact 814-865-1473.

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University Park, PA

How this job compares

Set against the 681 open Research Assistant jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 10, 2026.

Pay
  • This postingNot listed
  • US median$47–60K/yr84 salary ranges
  • Pennsylvania median$12–16/hr38 hourly ranges
Openings
Olive Jobs lists 78 open Research Assistant jobs in Pennsylvania and 681 across the US. 4% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Experience
Research Assistant postings that state a minimum ask for 1 year of experience at the median; the middle half ask for 1 to 2 years (152 postings).
Education
187 of the 681 open Research Assistant jobs (27%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 10, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.

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