Contractual - Healthy Soils Program (*Repost* Agroforestry Specialist

Introduction

The Maryland Department of Agriculture is a department under Maryland's Executive Branch. Formed in 1972 by the Maryland General Assembly to address the agriculture needs for the State of Maryland, the Department oversees and serves as a regulatory body for animal health, consumer services (including marketing and lab services), plant and pest management, and resource conservation. As the leading industry in Maryland, the diversity of agriculture programs continues to expand and grow.

The Office of Resource Conservation works with Maryland farmers to plan and implement conservation practices and programs that balance crop and livestock production with the need to protect natural resources. It provides a range of educational, financial, technical assistance, and regulatory programs to support Maryland agriculture and protect natural resources and water quality for future generations.

THIS POSITION HAS BEEN REPOSTED TO ALLOW FOR ADDITIONAL APPLICANTS. Previous applicants do not need to re-apply.

9998

This recruitment will be used to fill one (1) position. The position may be located at Annapolis Headquarters, Patuxent Regional Office (Waldorf), or the Frederick Regional Office.

The primary goal of this contractual position is to advance the State's climate mitigation efforts through increased agroforestry practice adoption and enhanced natural carbon sequestration across Maryland, in accordance with EPA's Climate Pollution Reduction Grant awarded to the department. The role supports the delivery of the Maryland Healthy Soils Program, requiring working knowledge of soil health principles and methods related to planning and implementing conservation practices that achieve soil health benefits.

Emphasis is placed on facilitating technical assistance and program outreach to support agroforestry practice adoption. Work is conducted in conjunction with Soil Conservation Districts (SCD) and regional partner organizations. Duties include administering program procedures to receive, evaluate, and process grant applications, communicating status with private landowners/operators, SCD personnel, and representatives from other state and federal agencies, and processing claims for payment.

• Provides program information and explains eligibility requirements to potential Healthy Soils Competitive Fund applicants, reviews and ranks applications, assembles grant agreements and Claim for Payment packages, and arranges distribution. Deals tactfully and responsively with farmers and local, state, and federal employees.
• Assists in coordinating technical assistance and program outreach with emphasis on agroforestry practice adoption. Coordinates with grant awardees to schedule site visits for soil health sample collection and project verification, collects soil health samples, and records project progress during benchmarking and verification visits.
• Collaborates with Competitive Fund awardees to plan, advertise, and schedule field days focused on healthy soils project demonstration and results sharing. Coordinates with regional partners and SCDs to plan, advertise, and schedule agroforestry tours and soil health events for Maryland farmers and district staff.
• Attends state and regional events as a representative of the Healthy Soils Program to promote program opportunities, interface with potential applicants, and expand technical assistance networks.
• Works with regional partners to compile grant accomplishments within the Healthy Soils network and required reporting to funding partners.

Education:

A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in natural resources, forestry, agriculture, or a related field.

Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor’s degree in urban or regional planning, engineering, physical geography, or the physical, chemical, and biological sciences—including 3 credit hours in soils or forestry—and one year of experience in forestry, agricultural, or soil and water conservation work for the required education.

Candidates may substitute a Master’s degree in urban or regional planning,…