Senior Technical Assistant - Department of Animal Science - Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at University of Pretoria/Universiteit van Pretoria

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The incumbent will be responsible for:

• Routine specialized feed analysis as specified by the laboratory manager;
• Gas chromatography (VFA analysis of rumen fluid and CO2, CH4, N2O,SF6 analysis of gas samples as well as Instron are essential);
• Minerals and nitrogen analysis (Spectrophotometer);
• Managing reference standards for all feed analysis;
• Data management of research projects performed (recording and storage);
• Assisting with analysis and writing reports for external clients;
• Assisting with training of undergraduate students practical;
• Training of postgraduate students with required feed analysis.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• BSc Agric (Animal science) or BSc (Chemistry/Biochemistry);
• Three (3) years’ experience in an analytical laboratory;
• Experience mentioned above should include:
• The use of UV spectrophotometers;
• Fibre, ether extract analysis, minerals and nitrogen analysis.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES (SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND BEHAVIOURAL ATTRIBUTES):

• Computer literacy in MS Office and software programmes GC and spectrophotometer instruments;
• Communication and organisational skills.

ADDED ADVANTAGES AND PREFERENCES:

• MSc Agric (Animal Science) or MSc (Chemistry/Biochemistry);
• Experience in the use of Leco for nitrogen analysis;
• Experience in Starch, WSC, NDF, and ADF analyses;
• Vitamin analysis;
• In vitro digestibility analyses, and in vitro gas production techniques;
• Calibration and use of near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) for feed analysis.