Soil Health Sampling Specialist

The Soil Health Institute (SHI), is a non-profit organization created to safeguard and enhance the vitality and productivity of soil through scientific research and advancement. The Institute brings together leaders in soil health science and the industry to conduct research and empower farmers and landowners with the knowledge to successfully adopt regenerative soil health systems that contribute economic and environmental benefits to agriculture and society. SHI has a dynamic team of scientists and educators working together to assess and promote soil health practices on U.S. farms, and we need help building our farmer network, soil sampling, recording field and management data, and implementing our strategy to assess soil health.

SHI is recruiting Soil Health Sampling Specialists to assist with the soil health measurement program of our Soil Health Benchmarks initiative. The Sampling Specialists will work for SHI as temporary, hourly employees. Depending on selected candidates’ experience and availability, there are multiple sampling campaigns anticipated for Spring/Summer 2026, with sampling taking place in March and mid-May to early July. There may be opportunities to extend the Soil Health Sampling Specialist contract after the Spring/Summer 2026 sampling season, based on satisfactory performance and project needs. Part-time, hourly remote work to prepare for the sampling season will be required from the employee’s home office, and full-time hourly work collecting soil samples will begin either early March 2026, or mid-May 2026.

Desired qualifications: 

• Education: Bachelor’s or master’s degree in soil science, agronomy, natural resource management, or related field.
• Candidates with a bachelor’s degree in one of these disciplines should have field-based experience to be considered.
• Knowledge of soil formation and soil-landscape relationships is highly desired (e.g., soil mapping or collegiate soil judging experience).
• Ability to characterize basic soil morphology in the field.
• Basic understanding of agricultural management practices.
• Basic GIS skills (e.g., Google Earth, QGIS).
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders.
• Enthusiasm for meeting agricultural managers/farmers and learning about soil landscapes and row crop management practices.
• Ability to be a good team player who thrives in a team environment, follows instructions, and asks questions if things are unclear.
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational and record-keeping abilities.
• Strong time management skills to meet project milestones under flexible scheduling.
• Ability to lift and carry 35 lbs. through agricultural fields and dense vegetation.
• Ability to complete physically demanding work in adverse environmental conditions, including intense summer heat and humidity.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the United States.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to: 

• Engaging with local agricultural connections (e.g., State extension, USDA, local agricultural industry) to learn regional management practices and identify potential participants.
• Recruiting row crop and livestock producers for soil sampling through direct outreach and relationship-building.
• Continuous travel for up to nine weeks to conduct soil sampling across an assigned region. Flying to and from the sampling region may be required depending on the sampler’s home location.
• Communicating with land managers about timing of sampling and site access.
• Work with a team to plan and coordinate logistics that optimize travel time and sampling efficiency.
• Assessing suitability of sampling locations regarding project sampling design (i.e., fit within priority soil health groups and management systems) using maps and in-field assessments.
• Recording and managing metadata on soil samples and site characteristics.
• Ensure adherence to SHI sampling protocols for high-quality data collection, using slide hammers, core samplers, and push probes/augers.
• Communicating respectfully with land managers about their field management practices and organizing the collected data into a clear, usable format for project deliverables.
• Communicating proactively with farmers, team members, and project leads to keep operations on track.
• Shipping soil samples promptly to laboratory for analysis.
• Ability to adapt plans dynamically based on farmer availability, weather conditions, and unexpected changes.
• Maintaining clear records of farm visits, sample tracking, and logistical adjustments.

Compensation: 
Soil Health Sampling Specialists will be paid at a rate of $25.00 per hour, with overtime determined by local, state, and/or federal guidelines. Payments will be remitted biweekly. Work during soil sampling is estimated to average 55 hours per week, 6 days per week, dependent on weather conditions and site accessibility. Upon mutual agreement, the position end date may be extended to ensure the completion of sampling. 

The sampling team will be provided with a rental car to travel to and from sampling sites. Gas, lodging, and food consumed when traveling will be reimbursed by SHI. Soil sampling equipment, sampling consumables, packaging and shipping costs will be covered by SHI.