Field Specialist in Livestock - Ripley County, MO

Job Title

Assistant/Associate/Full Extension Professional

Primarily serves the counties of Butler, Carter, Oregon, Reynolds, Ripley, and Wayne in the Southeast Region, with additional service across the state as needed.

This position is responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating educational programs in Livestock Production, including management, nutrition, reproduction, animal health, and marketing. Specialists will support the livestock industry in and around southeast region of Missouri and work supporting State Specialists and collaboration with other Field Specialists.

This part of Missouri is recognized for a vibrant beef cattle industry, including cow-calf and stockers. It is expected that most effort will be spent supporting the beef industry. This would include the Show‑Me‑Select heifer program, grazing schools, etc. Meaningful work will also be expected to support other livestock, including small ruminants, poultry, etc. There is a rich history of Extension leadership in this region and established programs the specialist could take over.

This is a 12‑month, ranked, non‑tenure track appointment at the rank of assistant, associate, or full Extension Professional. Rank will be determined at the time of the appointment based on qualifications and experience in accordance with MU Extension faculty standards. This position will hold the working title of Field Specialist in Livestock.

As a Field Specialist, your workload distribution at appointment will be 90% Extension Teaching and 10% Traditional Service. This appointment is renewable annually at the discretion of the University and workload distribution may change at the discretion of Extension leadership. Circumstances affecting continued employment include, but are not limited to, work performance, fund availability, and educational priorities.

MU Extension Specialists deliver the University of Missouri to all Missourians. They serve all Missourians by bringing research‑based solutions to work on local problems. MU Extension Specialists teach new and foundational concepts, link people to resources, support partner organizations, participate in research, train volunteers, evaluate programs, foster innovation, and serve communities. MU Extension Specialists work as a team to expand educational attainment, foster economic development, and improve health outcomes.

These core duties fall into three major areas:

• Educate: MU Extension specialists design, conduct, and evaluate educational programs. They teach research‑based information via meetings, in‑person, and online courses, continuing education classes, technical assistance, volunteer training, media, websites, consultation, and other educational methods. They provide educational programs that support the individual, organizational, and community goals of Missouri's learners and clients.
• Create: MU Extension specialists develop innovative and research‑informed educational products, services, materials, and other scholarly works. These include curricula, publications, presentations, educational tools, websites, and similar resources. They obtain and use extramural funding to support creative works. They contribute to the scholarship of Extension and Engagement by evaluating programs that result in learning and behavior changes that impact individuals and communities.
• Connect: MU Extension specialists engage with learners, stakeholders, volunteers, and communities, including county extension councils, government officials and agencies, partners, and University and professional organizations. They listen and respond with care. They intentionally engage partnerships and robust connections to the wide array of programs offered by the whole University of Missouri System.

• Engage with stakeholders in all coverage counties to identify educational needs and then collaborate with appropriate internal and external partners to meet programming needs, incorporating timely marketing strategies.
• Create an annual plan‑of‑work that reflects local needs and aligns with statewide program area…