Professional Practice Assistant Professor - Agricultural Education Teacher Mentor

Overview

The Department of Applied Sciences, Technology, and Education (ASTE) at Utah State University invites applications for a Professional Practice Assistant Professor position in the Agricultural Education program with a role of 80% Teaching (teacher mentoring/outreach), 10% Research, 10% Service. This position may be located at any of our USU Statewide campuses along the Wasatch Front or main campus in Logan, UT.

This is a nine-month, non-tenure track, academic-year appointment beginning August 2026. This position serves as a faculty member in the Applied Sciences, Technology and Education department. This position directly supports Utah State University's vision for agricultural education and is funded to serve as Utah's statewide Agriculture teacher mentor, with a primary focus on educator mentorship, professional development, and strengthening teacher recruitment and retention.

The role emphasizes preparing and supporting high-quality educators through relevant, rigorous, and practice-based learning experiences aligned with workforce needs and connected to postsecondary opportunities. The successful candidate will provide statewide leadership in advancing agricultural education within Utah's Career and Technical Education (CTE) system, with a focus on measurable outcomes, program impact, and legislative accountability. This legislatively funded position emphasizes the collection, analysis, and reporting of program data to demonstrate effectiveness, inform continuous improvement, and support state-level decision-making.

The Agricultural Education program prepares future educators to teach agriculture-related subjects at the junior high and high school levels. The program integrates agriculture, food and natural resources content with pedagogical training, including clinical and student teaching experiences. The program emphasizes the three-component model of agricultural education: classroom/laboratory instruction, Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE), and FFA leadership development.

Serve as the statewide Agricultural Education teacher mentor, providing leadership, mentorship, and professional development to strengthen the quality, retention, and effectiveness of agricultural educators and programs across Utah, consistent with the goals of the FFA Teacher Mentor appropriation.

• Statewide Agricultural Education Support & Mentorship
• Design and deliver high-quality professional development focused on:
  • Effective instruction
  • SAE implementation
  • FFA integration
  • Program quality and the three-component model (classroom/lab, SAE, FFA)
• Provide targeted support to early-career and alternatively licensed teachers
• Assist teachers with Agricultural Experience Tracker (AET), including rostering, degree management, and recordkeeping
• Conduct statewide travel to provide on-site coaching, facilitate workshops, and support local programs
• Support alignment of local programs with Utah CTE standards, agricultural pathways, and workforce needs

• Teacher Pipeline Development & Alternative Licensure
• Coordinate curriculum, mentoring, and support systems for alternatively licensed (ARL) teachers
• Provide ongoing coaching to support:
  • Licensure completion
  • Instructional effectiveness
  • Long-term teacher retention
  • Contribute to statewide recruitment, preparation, and retention of agricultural educators

• Program Evaluation, Research, and Continuous Improvement
• Design and implement a comprehensive statewide needs assessment to identify trends, develop and implement innovative curriculum, instruction, and assessment aligned with CTE standards and workforce needs
• Design and conduct statewide needs assessments to identify trends and priority areas
• Collect, analyze, and interpret data on:
  • Teacher recruitment, retention, and completion
  • Instructional effectiveness
  • Professional development impact
  • Program quality
• Produce annual reports for institutional and legislative accountability (e.g., Utah Legislature)
• Use data to inform continuous improvement of mentoring, PD, and program delivery
• Disseminate findings through reports, presentations, and publications
• Pursue external funding to support program innovation and expansion

• Pre-Service Teacher Preparation
• Support pre-service teacher development through:
  • Occasional teaching of undergraduate/graduate courses
  • Mentorship and supervision in field-based experiences
• Integrate pre-service teachers into statewide mentoring and professional networks
• Potentially reestablish and advise the USU Collegiate FFA/FFA Alumni chapter

• Partnerships, Service & Professional Engagement
• Build and maintain partnerships with educators, administrators, USBE, Utah FFA, and industry stakeholders
• Serve as liaison between the university and external partners to enhance program alignment and visibility
• Participate in department, college, and university service activities
• Represent the program in professional organizations (e.g., UAAE, UACTE) and statewide/national initiatives

Minimum Qualifications

• Earned master's degree in Agricultural…