North Dakota State University – Langdon Research Extension Center – Center Director

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North Dakota State University – Langdon Research Extension Center – Center Director

The NDSU Agricultural Experiment Station (NDAES) is seeking applicants to serve as the Director of the Langdon Research Extension Center (LREC). The Director will provide strategic and visionary leadership for the LREC in meeting its established mission and the needs of stakeholders in northeastern North Dakota and across the state. The Director oversees the daily functions of the LREC, manages the Center’s budget, provides supervision of personnel, oversees administrative and operational procedures, and manages external communications and stakeholder relations.

The Director will work closely with NDSU main campus in Fargo and with the other research extension centers across North Dakota. This position reports to the Assistant Director for Field Operations of the North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station. The Langdon Research Extension Center conducts applied agricultural research and outreach with a focus on the crops, cropping systems and production problems specific to northeastern North Dakota.

Areas of research include agronomy, crop diseases, pests and protection, weed control, and variety evaluations. Crops that are the focus of LREC research include hard red spring wheat, winter wheat, canola, flax, soybeans, dry edible beans, field peas, barley, sunflowers, and others. The LREC also operates an active program for increasing Foundation Seed stocks to support the regional agricultural community and NDSU plant breeders.

• M.S. in an agricultural discipline closely aligned with the Center’s research programs from an accredited institution.
• 3+ years of experience in planning, designing, and implementing research or extension programs related to fields aligned with the mission of the Center.
• Organizational skills and experience with management of projects, budgets and resources.
• Record of creativity, initiative, and entrepreneurial approach to garnering funds to support research or extension programming.
• Experience managing and supervising employees in a collegial fashion, fostering a teamwork environment and a culture of collaboration.
• Experience managing large operational budgets with transparency and accountability.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain strong working relationships with diverse agricultural clientele, agri-business, community groups, and local and state policy makers.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, with scientists, agricultural producers, and other clientele associated with agriculture and natural resources.
• Demonstrated and effective use of technologies for leadership, communication and/or research.

• Ph.D. in an agricultural discipline closely aligned with the Center’s research programs from an accredited institution.
• Experience and accomplishments in research in an area related to applicable research needs for North Dakota agriculture.
• Experience as a leader of multi-disciplinary research and outreach programs and a record of accomplishment leading multidisciplinary teams and groups.
• Skill in communicating effectively to diverse groups including researchers, administrators, local farmers, agribusiness, elected officials and state legislators.
• Commitment to the core mission of a land‑grant university, experience and understanding of administration and project development at a land‑grant university, and the application and use of information technology to further that mission.
• Ability to manage large complex budgets.
• Ability to work across distances to accomplish research and extension mission with the main station and other research extension centers.
• Experience or knowledge of crop‑based seedstock production practices.

• Ability to manage people, lead, team build, and effectively delegate.
• Ability to manage complex budgets.
• Ability to obtain extramural funding, and ability to develop strong collaborative research with other scientists, research extension centers and/or agencies and organizations.
• Ability to develop and maintain strong working relationships with…