Conservation Cropping Outreach Specialist

Salary

Current Employees:
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The starting salary for the position is $70,000.

Academic Staff

Regular

Outreach Specialist

Are you passionate about bridging the gap between cutting‑edge research and real‑world farming? As the Conservation Cropping Outreach Specialist, you will play a pivotal role in advancing the sustainability and profitability of Wisconsin’s diverse agricultural landscape. The Conservation Cropping Outreach Specialist will address high priority issues related to implementation and adoption of conservation cropping systems through collaborative, on‑farm research and outreach programming.

The position is intended to extend research findings related to practices that improve the sustainability of Wisconsin cropping systems via outreach and educational programming to producers and agribusiness professionals across Wisconsin. Successful candidates will have the opportunity to develop a focus area based on individual expertise and needs of the target audience. Desired areas of expertise include: conservation agronomy, cover cropping, reduced tillage, soil health, manure management, or other related disciplines.

The Outreach Specialist is expected to utilize excellent collaboration, problem solving, prioritization, and communication skills to work closely with farmers, technical advisers, and colleagues, to develop and implement collaborative on‑farm research and other outreach activities to increase adoption and implementation of conservation practices on Wisconsin farms. Extension Outreach Specialists collaborate with a team that includes UW‑Madison Extension and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) colleagues, industry partners, farmers, and other collaborators to develop robust, high‑quality educational programs that deliver research‑based solutions towards more efficient and sustainable cropping systems.

• Collaborate with farmers and colleagues to develop and implement on‑farm research, demonstrations, and outreach activities that engage the community in exploring innovative practices.
• Design and maintain high‑quality outreach programs that translate research findings into actionable solutions for the field.
• Develop and maintain expertise related to conservation cropping.
• Build trust‑based relationships with stakeholders, technical advisers, and Extension colleagues to inform priorities and increase program impact.
• Work with the Program Manager to facilitate programmatic efforts, maintain strategic direction, and build partnerships and seek a diverse funding portfolio to support the work.

The ideal candidate will have experience with developing and evaluating educational programming and a track record of building positive relationships.

This position is being announced simultaneously with JR. Although the role’s title and scope are the same, there are two distinct vacancies. This posting is open to candidates statewide, while the companion posting has a preference for candidates based in Northeast Wisconsin.

Division of Extension headquarters are located within Madison, WI but the position location is flexible and will be determined based on programmatic needs, successful candidate’s preferences, and availability of suitable space.

This position may require some work to be performed in‑person, onsite, at a designated campus work location. Some work may be performed remotely, at an offsite, non‑campus work location. Remote work requires an approved remote work agreement (RWA). A RWA requires successful candidates to possess their own high‑speed internet and phone to perform the work on a university provided computer. Per University policy, transportation between home and assigned work location is not payable/reimbursable and will be at the expense of the employee.

This position has the possibility of working up to 2 days remote per Extension’s Remote Work Policy.

This position may be required to…