Department:

Food Innovation Center

Special Instructions to Applicants:

When applying you will be required to attach the following electronic documents:

A Resume/Vita
A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position.
A supplemental document answering the following question:
- This position is located in Portland, OR. Would you be able to commute if you are located outside of Portland?(Open Ended Question)

For additional information please contact: Ann Colonna at Sensory.testing@oregonstate.edu

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status.

This position is designated as a critical or security-sensitive position; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a Criminal History Check and be determined to be position qualified as per OSU Standard 576-055-0000 et seq. Incumbents are required to self-report convictions and those in Youth Programs may have additional Criminal History Checks every 2 years.

OSU will conduct a review of the National Sex Offender Public website prior to hire.

Note: All job offers are contingent upon Human Resources final approval

Job Description:

This recruitment will be used to fill ten (10) part-time (a maximum of 24 hours per week) Student Sensory Program Technician positions for the Food Innovation Center in Portland, Oregon, part of Oregon State University (OSU).

This is a temporary position for part-time work to assist with conducing large consumer taste tests/sensory evaluation. Tests dates are variable and may be on weekends, but Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 am to 5 pm are preferred test days/times.

Position Duties

The Student Worker will be assisting the Sensory Program staff with the scheduling of participants, preparation of food and serving of samples for consumer taste tests. Duties will include:

Scheduling participants
Sending confirmation emails
Making copies
Coding serving materials
Food sample preparation/serving
Clean up

Consumer tests are conducted both at the Oregon State University Food Innovation Center laboratory complex in downtown Portland, OR and off-site such as grocery stores or food festivals. The laboratory complex includes a reception area, 10 taste test booths and a staging area, a focus group room and a commercial kitchen.

Transferable Skill Development

OSU is committed to ensuring students are prepared for success after graduation through intentional skill development as student employees. The competencies students develop while working at OSU are defined by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) as the essential skills employers seek in their hires. In this position, students learn and build vital career-readiness skills in the primary areas below:

Communication, Teamwork, Professionalism, Career & Self Development

Qualifications:

Full Employment Eligibility Requirements can be found here:https://hr.oregonstate.edu/student-employment-manual/500-employment-eligibility-requirements

Must be academically enrolled in a high school, community college, or university and pursuing a program or course of study
Must meet Academic Standing Requirements; students on academic suspension are not eligible for employment
Must meet the applicable minimal enrollment standard
- High School student: Regularly enrolled in a high school or participating in a home-schooling program
- Undergraduate and post-baccalaureate student: 6 credit hours per term
- Undergraduate international student: 12 credit hours per term*
- Graduate student officially admitted to Graduate School: 5 credit hours per term
- Graduate international student officially admitted to Graduate School: 9 credit hours per term*

*International students may be allowed to carry fewer hours than specified above and still be considered “full-time” by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). A reduced course load is approved by theOffice of International Services(OIS), and must be provided to the Student Employment Center.

Required

Preferred

Preferred student candidates will be available for a minimum of 6 months
Have a current Food Handlers License
Have solid knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access and Outlook)

Working Conditions/Schedule:

- Sensory testing work will take place on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 8am to 5pm.
- Could be office work for recruitment and labeling or serving and preparing food samples in the sensory laboratory, which would require being on your feet for up to 8 hours per shift.

Salary Range:

Anticipated Start Date:

2026-09-04

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OSU Food Innovation Center Student Sensory Technician