Agronomy Extension Field Specialist — Educate & Impact

Hiring Department

University of Missouri (MU) Office of Extension and Engagement

Plant Health & Technology Extension Program

Job Description

MU TITLE: Assistant/Associate/Full Extension Professional

LOCATION: Troy, Missouri and primarily serves Lincoln, Callaway, Montgomery, and Warren Counties in the East Central Region, Audrain and Pike Counties in the Northeast Region and St. Charles County in the Urban East Region with additional service across the state as needed.

SPECIALIST EMPHASIS

The emphasis area for this position is agronomy, which includes the science of crops, forages, soils, weeds, insects, and pathogens. The position involves planning, implementing, and evaluating educational programs. Examples of agronomic programs in MU Extension include soil testing, precision agriculture, crop and hay production, pest monitoring, grazing systems, pesticide application, weed management, and disease management. The position also involves interacting with the farming community, including agronomic commodity groups, industry representatives, farm families, other university colleagues, and local and statewide elected officials

This position 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 the MU Extension faculty standards. This position will hold the working title of Field Specialist In Agronomy.

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.

CORE DUTIES OF MU EXTENSION SPECIALISTS

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, Create, and Connect

• Educate . MU Extension specialists design, conduct, and evaluate educational programs. MU Extension specialists 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 inclusive 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. MU Extension specialists obtain and use extramural funding to support creative works. MU Extension specialists 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. MU Extension specialists listen and respond with care. MU Extension specialists intentionally foster engaged partnerships and robust connections to the wide array of programs offered by the whole University of Missouri System.

• Engage with councils, commissions, legislators, and stakeholders in all coverage counties to identify educational needs and then collaborate with appropriate internal and external partners to meet those needs.
• Create an annual plan-of-work that reflects local needs and aligns with statewide program area efforts. Provide a monthly report of impact to county extension council assigned, supervisors, county commissioners and others, regarding programmatic efforts. Attend at least one county extension council meeting each month and provide an oral update on program efforts.
• Collaborate with campus-based specialists on research projects and then deliver findings from those efforts via demonstrations, field days, courses, workshops, consultations, publications, and appropriate media.
• Work in collaboration with other specialist in counties of responsibility to serve the needs of the headquartered county, ensuring counties receive promotional materials in advance of…