Extension Instructor​/Director, Crosby

Arborist Position at Crosby Arboretum

This is a 12-month, non-tenure track position consisting of a 100% Extension appointment. This position is located at the Crosby Arboretum in Picayune, MS, and is administratively housed within the Coastal Research and Extension Center. The academic home of the successful candidate will be the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Design. The primary function of this position will be to oversee the daily operations of the Crosby Arboretum including facilities, staff and programs.

Extension efforts will be focused on the development of educational programs for both adult and youth related to the mission of Crosby Arboretum and Mississippi State University Extension. Efforts will also focus on development of site infrastructure and supervision of a staff that currently consists of 7 individuals. Development of programs for the public, Extension employees and collaboration with other scientists within the University will be considered an important aspect of the position.

Salary Grade: UC

Please see Staff Compensation Structure or Skilled Crafts and Service Maintenance Compensation Schedule for salary ranges. For salary grade UC, these positions are "Unclassified" and salary ranges are determined by the hiring department.

The award-winning Crosby Arboretum is located just 50 minutes from New Orleans and about an hour from Biloxi and Hattiesburg, Mississippi. It is dedicated to educating the public about their environment. This mission is carried out by preserving, protecting, and displaying plants native to the Pearl River Drainage Basin ecosystem, providing environmental and botanical research opportunities, and offering cultural, scientific, and recreational programs.

Its 104-acre interpretive site in Picayune, Mississippi, includes savanna, woodland, and aquatic exhibits. It also maintains 700 acres of off-site natural areas that are preserved for scientific study. Crosby was ranked as the 7th best college arboretum. It is a unit of Mississippi State University's Coastal Research and Extension Center, which serves as the coastal arm of the university's Research and Extension Programs.

Area of Specialization:
Landscape Architecture/Environmental Design/Botany/Environmental Horticulture/Public Garden Administration/Ecological Restoration

Anticipated Appointment Date:
August 2026.

Tenure Track Status: N/A.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

The successful candidate, as Director, will be tasked with the supervision of Crosby Arboretum staff and facilities along with overseeing the development and implementation of all facility improvements and educational programs. The Director will oversee an Extension program that uses the arboretum to explain the benefits of native planting and possibilities for native plant restoration, management, and environmental design. This will include overseeing the planning and construction of new landscape exhibits and interpretive displays, the publication of a quarterly newsletter, and the development of press releases.

The Director will also take a leading role in the development of other print- and web-based extension publications, such as information sheets, popular articles in trade magazines and newsletters, online videos, and webinars, as appropriate. These other print- and web-based publications may contribute to Mississippi State University Extension Service's Smart Landscapes program, other relevant statewide programs, or a new statewide extension program established by the candidate.

The Director will work with others to establish and carry out short- and long-term goals for the Crosby Arboretum and secure extramural funding to achieve those goals through grant writing, fundraisers, and soliciting monetary and in-kind donations. The position will require close collaboration with other MSU employees throughout the Mississippi State University system and working effectively with the Crosby Arboretum Foundation.

The successful candidate will maintain programmatic ties with other Extension State Specialists and other faculty in the Coastal Research and Extension Center and in the Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Design to implement innovative disciplinary and interdisciplinary educational programs, as appropriate. The successful candidate will interact regularly with relevant stakeholders, including government and non-government agencies and organizations, who represent all facets of native planting design, restoration, and management to identify and facilitate applied research and extension efforts addressing specific problems encountered by clientele.

The successful candidate will facilitate technology, research, and educational transfer through appropriate training presentations, workshops, and in-service training sessions led by the director, arboretum staff, and/or guest lecturers. Furthermore, the successful candidate will demonstrate and present information and updates through effective program…