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Job description

The Soil Nutrient Health Scheme (SNHS) was launched by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and managed by Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) and is a four year, £37m significant initiative aimed at improving soil nutrient health and estimating farm carbon stocks, right across Northern Ireland. The scheme will see the collection of soil samples taken from approximately 700,000 of Northern Ireland’s agricultural fields. RPS has been hired by AFBI to undertake the soil sampling over a four year period from 2022 to 2026 with peak soil sampling to be undertaken during winter months November to January. We are looking for Soil Sampling Technicians - You will be working as part of a large team representing RPS in collecting soil samples in agricultural fields located primarily in Zone 4 with a limited number of roles available in Zone 3 (refer to location map on page 4). Work will be lone working and site based in rural agricultural environments. Full training, support, sampling equipment and personal protective equipment will be provided for suitable candidates. Brief Description of the Role - Each Soil Sampling Technician will be part of a soil sampling team led by a RPS Team Leader. Although Soil Sampling Technicians are part of a team, the role will be lone working in remote rural areas and Soil Sampling Technicians will be required to use a lone worker app for their health and safety. Each Soil Sampling Technician will be provided with a ruggedised mobile device that will have the Arc Field Maps app which contains aerial base maps and their allocated fields to sample. On site, the Soil Sampling Temporary Soil Sampling Technician I 2025 I Final I Job Description Page 2 of 4 Technician will navigate to their allocated fields for sampling using the Arc Field Maps app on their mobile device. In each field, they will be required to collect a minimum of 32 shallow soil samples at equal distances along a W-shaped transect using a supplied soil corer, whilst recording a GPS track of the W track on the mobile device. Soil Sampling Technicians will be responsible for bagging and correctly labelling the soil samples. If a field cannot be sampled, Soil Sampling Technicians are required to provide photographic evidence.

Responsibilities

• Professionally represent RPS.
• Respect and care for land-owner’s fields and properties.
• Follow guidance and directions from Team Leader. Read digital maps and navigate to fields.
• Ability to take direction from RPS Team Leader.
• Participate in team training in use of soil corer and mobile devices/Arc Field Maps etc.
• Responsible for undertaking soil sampling in accordance with training instructions.
• This is a physical role and will involve walking 15km per day through agricultural fields.
• Collect soil samples along a W-shaped transect in each field using a soil corer in accordance with soil sampling procedure provided in training.
• Record GPS track of soil sample location using Field Maps app on mobile device.
• Bag and label soil sample as per training instructions.
• Adhere to feedback from Team Leader and Quality Assurance staff.
• Work independently performing daily workload efficiently.
• Plan ahead sampling for the next working day and ensure equipment is maintained.
• Good time management and ability to meet deadlines.
• Communicate daily with Team Leader and Farmer Communications staff.
• Politely and effectively communicate with landowners if required. Support other team members.

Skills and Qualifications

Essential Skills

• Experience of working in an outdoors environment in all winter weather conditions. It is vital that you provide this detail in your application form.
• Full driving licence with access to your own vehicle.
• Commit to working a minimum of 3 full (7.5 hours) weekdays (Monday-Friday).
• Experience using a smart phone.

Desirable Skills

• Previous soil sampling experience.

Further Information

Salary: £12.75 per hour plus travel expenses for use of own vehicle and bonus