Extension Educator, Pesticide Safety

Position: Extension Educator, Pesticide Safety (2 positions available)
About the Job

Working Title:

Extension Educator, Pesticide Safety (2 positions available)

Appointment:
Full-time, Assistant Extension Professor-Production Agriculture (9624PA)

Extension Area:
Department of Agricultural and Natural Resources Systems (ANR)

Office location:
St. Paul Campus, Coffey Hall, St. Paul, MN, hybrid option available

Salary range: $72,000 - $82,000 annually; depending on education/qualifications/experience

Apply by:
July 10, 2026

About the Job

Two Extension Educator (EE) - Pesticide Safety and Environmental Education (PSEE) positions are available in Minnesota. The PSEE program provides statewide leadership and educational excellence. This program serves as Minnesota's primary resource for pesticide-related safety, health, and environmental stewardship, grounded in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and occupational safety frameworks. The PSEE program is instrumental in training over 17,000 certified agricultural producers through the Private Pesticide Applicator Training (PPAT) program and more than 11,000 professional licensed commercial/noncommercial (CNC) applicators across diverse sectors, including crops, natural resources, public health, and horticulture.

The program develops educational materials and presentations, provides a wide range of educational workshops, and is responsible for Minnesota's various pesticide applicator certification categories study manuals.

For both positions, Extension Educators will be responsible for the design, implementation, and evaluation of research-based programming tailored mostly for commercial and non-commercial applicators. This involves managing comprehensive educational content across a diverse array of certification categories, ranging from agricultural crops and aquatic systems to specialized areas like soil fumigation and public health initiatives. To ensure broad reach and impact, the Educators will develop high-quality instructional materials across multiple platforms, including traditional print formats, in-person workshops, distance learning modules, and emerging educational technologies.

Beyond curriculum development, the Extension Educator positions require a high degree of collaboration and strategic foresight. The Educators will work collaboratively with the Pesticide Safety team and fellow Extension colleagues to maintain program consistency and extend the reach of safety initiatives throughout the state. A key focus will be modernizing the program's delivery by expanding its digital footprint through innovative online learning tools.

Additionally, the Educators will provide essential resource management by overseeing the continuous development and revision of Minnesota pesticide applicator materials that remain current with evolving industry standards.

One Extension educator position will provide statewide educational programming leadership primarily for the commercial/non-commercial pesticide applicator recertification program that encompasses the Minnesota rural environment including agricultural crops, seed treatment, livestock, and non-soil and soil fumigation. Recertification prevents a credential from lapsing, ensuring that professionals keep pace with shifting laws, emerging technologies, and updated industry best practices.

One Extension educator position will provide statewide educational programming leadership primarily for the commercial/noncommercial pesticide applicator precertification program that encompasses a range of categories from crops, horticulture, aquatic, public health, forestry, rights-of-way, and vertebrate pests. Precertification is a training program designed to prepare professionals for specific licensing and/or certification. The curriculum is focused on specific knowledge, industry regulations, and test-taking strategies.

Location and Work Environment

These positions are accountable to the Associate Director and Program Leader of the Pesticide Safety and Environmental Education for program direction, performance evaluation, and personnel actions. The office location for this position is on the St. Paul campus at Coffey Hall in St. Paul, MN, but positions may be eligible for hybrid options.

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