Field Specialist in Nutrition and Health - Platte County, MO

Job Description MU TITLE: Assistant/Associate/Full Extension Professional LOCATION: Kansas City, Missouri (serves Platte, Jackson, Clay Counties in the Urban West Region, with additional service across the state as needed). The Nutrition and Health Specialist plans, implements, and evaluates educational programs in nutrition, health, community health, food safety, food resource management, and physical activity promotion for Missourians. The role also focuses on services in Nutrition, Home, and Family to promote well‑being among individuals, families, and communities. This 12‑month, ranked, non‑tenure track appointment is at the rank of Assistant, Associate, or Full Extension Professional. The working title will be Field Specialist in Nutrition and Health Education. At appointment, workload distribution is 90% Extension Teaching and 10% Traditional Service. The position is renewable annually at the discretion of the University, subject to performance, funding, and priorities. Core Duties Educate: design, conduct, and evaluate educational programs; teach via meetings, in‑person and online courses, continuing education classes, technical assistance, volunteer training, media, websites, consultation, and other educational methods. Create: develop innovative, research‑informed educational products, services, materials, and other scholarly works, including curricula, publications, presentations, educational tools, and websites; obtain and use external funding; evaluate program impact. Connect: engage learners, stakeholders, volunteers, and communities, including county extension councils, government officials, partners, and university and professional organizations; foster partnerships and connections to the full University of Missouri System. Professional Expectations Engage with councils, commissions, legislators, and stakeholders across coverage counties to identify educational needs and collaborate with partners. Create an annual plan of work that reflects local needs and aligns with statewide program efforts; provide monthly impact reports; attend at least one county extension council meeting per month. Collaborate with campus specialists on research projects and deliver findings via demonstrations, field days, courses, workshops, consultations, publications, and appropriate media. Work with colleagues to serve county needs, ensuring promotional materials are available in advance of programming. Complete administrative tasks as needed with supervisors, specialists, and local leaders. Demonstrate competency in communication, educational programming, subject‑matter knowledge, delivery, volunteer management, grant acquisition, teamwork, leadership, interpersonal relations, organization knowledge, and professionalism. Offer timely, research‑based information during natural disasters or similar events. Represent the University on boards and committees as assigned. Participate in professional development events to improve technical and leadership skills. Other duties as assigned to support the mission of MU Extension. Additional Expectations Expect to attend events outside normal business hours as needed. Travel regularly throughout Missouri and occasionally out of state; must have a valid Missouri driver’s license, a legally operating vehicle, and wireless telephone/data service for university use. Mileage and travel expenses are reimbursed per university policy. Qualifications Earned PhD or master’s degree at time of appointment. Degree in nutrition, dietetics, health, exercise physiology, food science, or related area with appropriate coursework. Demonstrated ability to translate research into educational programs for all age groups. Experience in youth and adult education. Administrative and leadership experience, especially in managing fiscal, human, and data resources. Innovative teaching strategies that engage others; strong listening, written, and oral communication skills. Ability to integrate new and emerging technology into teaching strategies. Experience designing, conducting, and evaluating educational programs; applying research‑based knowledge in community cooperation, capacity assessment, action planning, needs assessment, citizen participation, leadership, resource management, and volunteerism. Anticipated Salary This position offers a minimum starting salary of $58,000, with final salary determined based on qualifications and experience. Benefits Eligible for University benefits. The total compensation package includes medical, dental, and vision plans, retirement, and educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses. For additional information, visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website. Visa Sponsorship Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. The University will not sponsor employment visas. Equal Employment Opportunity The University of Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer. #J-18808-Ljbffr University of Missouri-Columbia