Field Specialist in Nutrition and Health - Henry County, MO

Job Description The Nutrition and Health Specialist is responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating educational programs in nutrition, health, community health, food safety, food resource management, and physical activity promotion education for Missourians. This position is a 12‑month, ranked, non‑tenure track appointment at the rank of assistant, associate, or full Extension Professional. The working title will be Field Specialist in Nutrition and Health Education, with a workload distribution of 90% Extension Teaching and 10% Traditional Service. The appointment is renewable annually by the University’s discretion. MU Title Assistant/Associate/Full Extension Professional Location Clinton, Missouri. The specialist primarily serves Henry County and Hickory, Benton, and St. Clair Counties in the West Central Region, with additional service across the state as needed. Specialist Emphasis The Health & Human Sciences Extension program promotes optimal well‑being of individuals, families, and communities. Nutrition and health education specialists improve dietary quality, increase physical activity, manage chronic diseases, and reduce overweight, obesity, and healthcare costs for Missourians. Core Duties of MU Extension Specialists MU Extension Specialists serve all Missourians by bringing research‑based solutions to local problems. Core duties are organized under the themes: Educate, Create, and Connect. Educate . Design, conduct, and evaluate educational programs via meetings, in‑person and online courses, continuing education classes, technical assistance, volunteer training, media, and other educational methods. Create . Develop innovative educational products, services, materials, and scholarly works such as curricula, publications, presentations, educational tools, websites, and similar resources. Obtain and use extramural funding to support creative works. Connect . Engage learners, stakeholders, volunteers, and communities, including county extension councils, government officials, partners, and university and professional organizations. Professional Expectations Engage with councils, commissions, legislators, and stakeholders in all coverage counties to identify educational needs and then collaborate with appropriate 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 impact report to county extension council, supervisors, and county commissioners. 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 deliver findings via demonstrations, field days, courses, workshops, consultations, publications, and appropriate media. Work with other specialists in the counties of responsibility to serve the needs of the headquartered county and ensure timely distribution of promotional materials. Effectively collaborate with supervisors, other specialists, and local leaders to complete administrative tasks as needed. Demonstrate competency in communication, educational programming, subject‑matter knowledge, volunteer management, grant acquisition, teamwork, interpersonal relations, organizational knowledge, leadership, and professionalism. Provide timely, research‑based information during natural disasters or similar events. Represent the University of Missouri on boards and committees as assigned. Participate in professional development events to improve both technical and leadership skills. Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned to support the mission of MU Extension. Additional Expectations Attend events outside of normal business hours as needed to meet the needs of learners, clients, and stakeholders. Travel regularly throughout Missouri and occasionally to out‑of‑state locations. A valid Missouri driver’s license, a legally operating vehicle, and wireless telephone/service are required. Reimbursement is provided for approved travel expenses per university policy. Qualifications Earned PhD or master’s degree at the time of appointment. Degree in nutrition, dietetics, health, exercise physiology, food science, or a related area with appropriate coursework. Demonstrated ability to translate research into educational programs in nutrition, health, food science, and physical activity promotion for audiences of all age groups. Experience in youth and adult education. Successful administrative and leadership experience, particularly in managing fiscal, human, and data resources. Effective and innovative teaching strategies that engage others, with strong listening, written, and oral communication skills. Ability to integrate new and emerging technology into teaching strategies. Experience designing, conducting, and evaluating educational programs and applying research‑based knowledge in community cooperation, capacity assessment, action planning, needs assessment, citizen participation, leadership, resource management, and volunteerism. Benefits Eligible for University benefits, including medical, dental, vision, retirement, and educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses. Equal Employment Opportunity The University of Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA Accommodations To request accommodations, please call the Director of Accessibility and ADA at View phone number on click.appcast.io. #J-18808-Ljbffr University of Missouri-Columbia