Digital Agriculture Extension Lead

Iowa State University; Ames (IA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Iowa State University’s Digital Agriculture Innovation Lab seeks a Digital Agriculture Extension Lead to guide the Extension program across Iowa and beyond. You will align research and technology with practical education for farmers and agricultural professionals, shaping strategy, roadmap planning, and new program development to drive real on‑farm value.

Collaborate with researchers, engineers, specialists, and industry partners to expand reach, lead Extension staff, and expand the portfolio of

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree plus 5 years related experience or equivalent.
• Experience in Extension and outreach, professional education, or related field.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement abilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead Digital Ag Extension program strategy, roadmaps, staffing, partnerships, and annual programming.
• Develop and deliver educational programs translating research into practical information for farmers and professionals.
• Identify producer needs and guide future programming and resources to stay relevant.
• Lead and develop program staff, students, and contributors in Digital Ag Extension programming.
• Build partnerships across ISU Extension and Outreach including field staff and county/regional teams.
• Develop relationships with farmers, agribusinesses, commodity organizations, tech partners to expand reach.
• Measure and report program participation, learning outcomes, adoption, and on‑farm impact.

Skills

Extension & outreach experience

Communication skills

Facilitation

Presentation skills

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Position Title:

Digital Agriculture Extension Lead

Job Group:

Professional & Scientific

Required Minimum Qualifications:

Bachelor's degree and 5 years of related experience

Job Description:

Build the Future of Agriculture

If you want to help farmers and agricultural professionals understand and adopt emerging technologies, this is the role for you.

Who We Are

The Digital Ag Innovation Lab at Iowa State University partners with leading agricultural companies to design, build, and deploy next-generation technologies for agriculture. Our team works at the intersection of applied engineering, industry collaboration, and the land-grant mission, moving ideas from concept to prototype to field deployment.

Our vision is bold: to be the premier thought leader and partner in ag innovation .

Our mission guides everything we do: Innovate. Educate. Outreach .

We operate with four core values: Passion. Innovation. Collaboration. Excellence .

This is a place for builders, problem-solvers, and systems thinkers who want their work to move from idea prototype field industry adoption.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a Digital Agriculture Extension Lead to lead the people, programs, and partnerships that deliver Iowa State University Extension programming on digital agriculture throughout Iowa and beyond. This role connects research and technology development with practical education for a wide range of audiences, from farmers to agricultural professionals. You will lead the strategy, roadmap planning, new program development and delivery of hands‑on programs that translate emerging agricultural technologies and Digital Ag research into actionable outcomes that create direct and measurable on‑farm value.

Working with Digital Ag researchers, engineers, agronomists, Extension specialists, field staff, and industry partners, you will identify educational needs, develop programming, lead Extension staff, and expand the reach and impact of Iowa State University's Extension and Outreach portfolio.

What You’ll Do

• Lead Digital Ag's Extension program, including strategy, roadmaps, staffing, partnerships, and annual programming.
• Develop and deliver new educational programs that translate research findings and emerging agricultural technologies into practical information for farmers and agricultural professionals. Programs will focus on connecting agronomic research, technology and machinery implementation, systems thinking in crop production, and innovation through data and AI.
• Identify producers and industry needs and use them to guide future programming and educational resources, ensuring content remains highly relevant.
• Lead and develop program staff, students, and other contributors involved in Iowa State Extension programming in Digital Ag.
• Build partnerships across Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, including field agronomists, agricultural engineers, campus specialists, and county and regional staff.
• Develop relationships with farmers, agribusinesses, commodity organizations, technology companies, and other partners to expand program reach and engage new audiences.
• Measure and communicate program participation, learning outcomes, adoption, and economic or operational impact.

What You Bring

• Experience in Extension and outreach, professional education, agricultural training, technical education, product support, agronomy, precision agriculture, agricultural equipment, or a related field.
• Knowledge of production agriculture and technologies used in modern crop production systems.
• Experience developing and delivering high impact educational programs, technical training, demonstrations, field days, or similar programming.
• Ability to translate complex technical and research information into clear, practical guidance for farmers and agricultural professionals.
• Experience leading people, managing budgets and programs, and coordinating cross-functional teams.
• Experience building relationships with farmers, industry partners, researchers, and agricultural organizations.
• Strong communication, facilitation, and presentation skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree in agricultural education, agricultural engineering, agronomy, agricultural systems technology, crop science, or a related field, or equivalent industry experience.
• Experience developing educational programs for farmers, agricultural professionals, or adult learners.
• Experience with digital agriculture, precision agriculture, agricultural equipment, application technology, or emerging agricultural technologies.
• Experience developing partnerships among universities, industry, and agricultural organizations.
• Experience managing multiple programs, events, budgets, and staff.
• Experience evaluating educational programs and documenting outcomes and impact.
• Experience developing externally funded Extension, educational, or industry-partnership programs.

This position involves in state travel and may include occasional out of state travel, as well as ev