Technical Specialist, Alliance to Advance Climate-Smart Agriculture

The Alliance to Advance Climate-Smart Agriculture is a coalition of organizations, led by Virginia Tech, which will implement an $80 million, three-year project funded by the United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS). This project will be implemented across four states – Arkansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Virginia – and will feature payments to farmers to adopt climate-smart agriculture practices to increase resilience and climate adaptation.

The Alliance to Advance Climate-Smart Agriculture is a coalition of organizations, led by Virginia Tech, which will implement an $80 million, three-year project funded by the United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS). This project will be implemented across four states – Arkansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Virginia – and will feature payments to farmers to adopt climate-smart agriculture practices to increase resilience and climate adaptation.

Farmer payments and enrollments will be managed by implementing partner organizations in each of the four states and several non-implementing partners will support the program in various ways. Virginia Tech faculty will conduct a rigorous research agenda to evaluate efficacy of implementation strategies. Under the three-year pilot program, Virginia Tech and its partners will help producers in the four states prove the value of paying farmers and ranchers $100 per acre or animal unit for stewardship practices that deliver public value through carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas emission reduction, improved soil health, water quality improvements, water conservation, and other environmental services.

We aim to create a national model for incentivizing and rewarding farmers for adopting climate-smart practices. More information on the program can be found at this link: https://(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). The Technical Specialist will support the 2026 state-wide application of the Alliance in Virginia and the livestock and cover crop subpilots in Virginia. The Technical Specialist will provide training and technical support for all Alliance partners to support the use of COMET-Planner, COMET-Farm, and Field to Market Fieldprint Calculator tools and serve as the point of contact for all USDA-NRCS Conservation Practices inquiries from partners.

This is a full-time, benefits-eligible, grant-funded restricted university staff position with an anticipated appointment end date of September 9, 2027, contingent on available funding and project needs. The position reports to the Project Director and has a regular schedule of 40 hours per week. The position is remote within Virginia. Travel to Blacksburg, producer locations throughout Virginia, and occasional out-of-state project meetings is required.

• Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy, Soil Science, Crop Science, Environmental Science, or a closely related field, with relevant experience in agricultural production, conservation practices, or technical assistance.
• Knowledge of USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) conservation practices and their application in agricultural systems.
• Knowledge of crop and/or livestock production systems and agricultural conservation practices, including their effects on soil health, greenhouse gas emissions, or other environmental outcomes.
• Experience providing technical assistance, training, or educational support.
• Experience collecting, organizing, reviewing, and reporting data.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and the ability to learn new software and data management systems.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage…