Digital Agriculture Extension Lead

Iowa State University; United States; On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Retirement benefits

Paid time off

Onsite childcare

Wellbeing program

Job summary

Iowa State University’s Digital Ag Innovation Lab seeks a Digital Agriculture Extension Lead to guide strategy, programs, and partnerships across Iowa and beyond. You will lead Extension staff, coordinate with researchers, engineers, agronomists, and county staff to translate research into practical education for farmers and industry professionals.

This role requires a Bachelor’s degree with 5 years of related experience, strong communication, and the ability to build partnerships with farmers,

Qualifications

• Experience in Extension and outreach, professional education, agricultural training or related field.
• Ability to translate research into practical education for farmers and professionals.
• Experience leading people, managing budgets and programs, coordinating cross-functional teams.
• Strong communication, facilitation and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead Digital Ag’s Extension program, including strategy, roadmaps, staffing, partnerships, and annual programming.
• Develop and deliver new educational programs translating research findings into practical information.
• Identify producer and industry needs to guide future programming and resources.
• Lead and develop program staff, students, and contributors in Digital Ag Extension.
• Build partnerships across ISU Extension and Outreach to expand reach.
• Measure participation, learning outcomes, adoption, and impact.

Skills

Extension experience

Leadership

Budget management

Cross-functional teamwork

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Advanced degree preferred

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 evening and weekend hours. Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship. Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position. This is a term position with the expectation of long‑term renewal. The selected candidate will be hired as a Manager Engineering.

Why Choose Iowa State University? Iowa State Employees enjoy comprehensive health and work‑life benefits, including medical and dental, as well as:

• Retirement benefits including defined benefit and defined contribution plans
• Generous vacation, holiday, and sick time and leave plans
• Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa)
• Life insurance and long‑term disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Various voluntary benefits and discounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Wellbeing program

Appointment Type: Regular with Term Appointment (Fixed Term) Proposed End Date or Length of Term: December 13, 2029 Number of Months Employed Per Year: 12 Month Work Period Time Type: Full time Pay Grade: PS812 Original Posting Date: November 6, 2026 Posting Close Date: November 29, 2026 Job Requisition Number: R20184

Iowa State University does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, ethnicity, religion, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, genetic information, sex, marital status, disability, or status as a U.S. Veteran. Inquiries regarding non‑discrimination policies may be directed to Office of Equal Opportunity, 2680 Beardshear Hall, 515 Morrill Road, Ames, Iowa 50011, Tel. 515‑294‑7612, email [e-mail]. General ISU compensation information can be found on the University Human Resources website. Please note that this is only a list of ranges and individuals will be paid commensurate with qualifications. Current employees (excluding temporary, student and graduate assistants) must apply through the Workday Internal Careers Hub. By focusing on the future and providing the best student experience possible, Iowa State University attracts students and faculty who want to make a difference. With a comprehensive land‑grant mission of education, research, extension and outreach, we produce scholars whose ideas change the world. And through Innovate at Iowa State, we provide innovative and entrepreneurial opportunities for students of all backgrounds. Located just 30 minutes north of Des Moines, the city of Ames was recently named one of the Top 10 cities in the U.S. for campus life and career opportunities. Iowa State University is a welcoming community of students, faculty, and staff. Campus community members have a wide range of backgrounds and experiences and are committed to engaging with each other respectfully as outlined in the university's Principles of Community. Iowa State recognizes that diverse intellectual and philosophical perspectives are vital to innovation, critical thinking skills, and a dynamic academic community that fosters the land‑grant ideals of putting science, technology, and human creativity to work. All offers of employment, oral and written, are contingent upon the university’s verification of credentials and other information required by federal and state law, ISU policies/procedures, and may include the completion of a background check and or a consumer credit check.

Iowa State University provides reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. Applicants with questions about access or requiring a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process should email [e-mail] or call (515) 294‑4800 or Toll-Free: (877) 477‑7485. TTY users are welcome to use the Iowa Relay Service number by dialing 7‑1‑1 or (800) 735‑2942.