Field Specialist in Agronomy - Lincoln County, MO

Hiring Department University of Missouri (MU) Office of Extension and Engagement, Plant Health & Technology Extension Program. Job Description 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 such as 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 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 appointment based on qualifications and experience. The working title will be Field Specialist in Agronomy. As a Field Specialist, the workload distribution will be 90% Extension Teaching and 10% Traditional Service. The appointment is renewable annually at the discretion of the University and workload distribution may change. Core Duties of MU Extension Specialists Educate: design, conduct, and evaluate educational programs via meetings, in‑person and online courses, continuing education classes, technical assistance, volunteer training, media, websites, consultation, and other educational methods. Create: develop innovative and research‑informed educational products, services, materials, and other scholarly works; obtain and use extramural funding to support creative works; contribute to scholarship of Extension and Engagement by evaluating programs. Connect: engage with learners, stakeholders, volunteers, and communities; provide inclusive educational programs that support the individual, organizational, and community goals of Missouri’s learners and clients. Professional Expectations Engage with councils, commissions, legislators, and stakeholders in all coverage counties to identify educational needs and collaborate with appropriate partners. Create an annual plan‑of‑work that reflects local needs and aligns with statewide program area efforts. Collaborate with campus‑based specialists on research projects and deliver findings via demonstrations, field days, courses, workshops, consultations, publications, and appropriate media. Work in collaboration with other specialists in counties of responsibility to serve the needs of the headquartered county. Complete administrative tasks as needed. Demonstrate competency in communication, educational programming, subject matter knowledge, educational delivery, volunteer management, grant acquisition, teamwork, interpersonal relations, organizational knowledge, leadership, and professionalism. Offer timely, research‑based information during times of natural disasters or similar events. Represent the University of Missouri on boards and committees as assigned. Participate in professional development events to improve technical and leadership skills. Other duties and responsibilities as assigned to support the mission of MU Extension. Additional Expectations Attend events outside of normal business hours as needed. Travel regularly throughout Missouri and occasionally to out‑of‑state locations; require a valid Missouri driver’s license, a legally operating vehicle, and wireless telephone/data service; receive reimbursement for approved travel expenses per University policy. Qualifications An earned master’s or Ph.D. with appropriate coursework demonstrating knowledge of Agronomy, Plant Sciences, Crop Sciences, Soil Sciences at the time of appointment. Candidates will be evaluated on oral and written communication skills. Benefit Eligibility The position is eligible for University benefits. The University offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision plans, retirement, educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses. Equal Employment Opportunity The University of Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To request ADA accommodations, please call the Director of Accessibility and ADA at View phone number on click.appcast.io. #J-18808-Ljbffr The Chronicle Of Higher Education, Inc.