Extension Educator,Asst - Park County Ag & Natural Resources

University of Wyoming; Powell (WY); On-site; USD 50,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous retirement contributions

Health & prescription coverage

Paid time off

Tuition waiver

Wellness programs

Job summary

The University of Wyoming is seeking an Assistant University Extension Educator in Agriculture and Natural Resources focused on irrigated cropping systems serving Park County.

This position develops and delivers impactful educational programs while engaging community members in agricultural practices. The ideal candidate has expertise in agriculture and experience in community outreach, and is committed to supporting the evolving needs of local agriculture.

Qualifications

• Master's degree from an accredited college or university.
• One degree in a relevant agricultural field.
• Reliable transportation and valid driver’s license.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership in community engagement through educational outreach.
• Conduct assessments to identify educational needs within the community.
• Develop impactful Extension programming based on community assessments.
• Ensure civil rights compliance and expand programming reach.

Skills

Knowledge of irrigated cropping systems

Ability to communicate effectively

Experience in developing partnerships

Education

Master’s degree in a relevant field

Bachelor’s degree in agronomy or related field

Tools

Pesticide application techniques

Job description

Benefits

Our comprehensive benefits package is designed to support your health, financial security, and work-life balance. Benefits include:

• Generous Retirement Contributions: The State contributes 14.94% of your gross salary, and you contribute 3.68%, totaling 18.62% toward your retirement plan.
• Exceptional Health & Prescription Coverage: Enjoy access to medical, dental, and vision insurance with competitive employer contributions, that include 4 deductible options to suit your needs.
• Paid Time Off: Benefit from ample vacation, sick leave, paid holidays, and paid winter closure.
• Tuition Waiver: Employees and eligible dependents can take advantage of tuition waivers, supporting continuous education and professional growth.
• Wellness and Employee Assistance Programs: Stay healthy with wellness initiatives, counseling services, and mental health resources.

Job Title

Assistant University Extension Educator, Agriculture and Natural Resources (Irrigated Cropping Systems) serving Park County, Wyoming

Job Purpose

We seek an educator with knowledge of irrigated cropping systems (e.g., sugar beets, barley, dry beans, grass seed), and familiarity with one or more of the following management topics common in Park County: weeds, soil fertility, center pivot irrigation technology, other agricultural technologies. The educator will also help address community members’ questions about horticulture (e.g., trees, lawns, gardens, small acreages) and natural-resource issues relevant to agriculture near the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (e.g., agritourism, wildlife, water). Expertise is not expected in all of these topic areas; however, the educator must be willing to learn and provide outreach about new topics to address Park County’s evolving needs.

This position is based in Powell, Wyoming, with a secondary/occasional office in Cody, Wyoming.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Program Development and Delivery

• Provide leadership in building mutual learning relationships with community members and leaders through a blend of educational outreach, technical assistance, and community coaching.
• Implement assessment and advisory strategies to identify educational needs (e.g., by gathering input from agricultural and natural resource (ANR) producers, agencies, and organizations, as well as community leaders, and other appropriate partners and experts about ANR-related needs in the county).
• Develop and maintain awareness of existing programs, resources, and businesses within local communities, being careful not to compete with or favor any.
• Conduct impactful Extension programming informed by assessments of local needs and assets.
• Establish professional partnerships with Extension Specialists and other scientific experts to ensure outreach programming is rooted in research-based information. As an Extension Educator advances in their career, this should involve collaborating on applied research projects or demonstration studies to inform educational programs.
• Provide primary leadership for the development, implementation, evaluation, and continual improvement of educational programming that is responsive, relevant, and impactful in addressing ANR needs identified in assessments.
• Provide effective educational experiences using appropriate program delivery strategies, such as presentations, workshops, trainings, and other modes of outreach relevant to target audiences, which could range widely from youths to adults, and the general public to professionals.
• Support the development, delivery, and evaluation of signature programs or statewide initiatives of the ANR focus area.
• Support and promote general Extension operations and outputs in the county, such as helping meet the community’s horticulture/Master Gardener needs, and cooperating with other UW programs or efforts in the county (e.g., promoting Ag Experiment Station outputs, and interacting with the public in ways supportive of UW recruiting).
• Provide pesticide applicator training (i.e., educational programs on pesticide safety, application techniques, and regulatory compliance) to individuals seeking certification or recertification.
• Develop and implement evaluation tools (formative and summative) for measuring and reporting consistent program impacts across the short and long term.
• Provide support for 4-H Youth Development in partnership with your local 4-H educator.

Volunteer/Community-Partner Systems

• Establish and support volunteers/partners that have the ability to increase the capacity and long‑term sustainability of the ANR focus area (e.g., event partners/volunteers).
• Cultivate relationships with and build capacity of volunteers/partners through a support system consisting of effective orientation, training, utilization, recognition, and evaluation (e.g., for 4‑H programs).
• Address issues/conflicts that arise with volunteer/partner/clientele roles.

Communication and Reporting

• Develop and maintain respectful and responsive working relationships and communications with colleagues, community leaders/partners, volunteers, clientele, and the general public.
• Use Extension resources, including Communications & Technology, to market educational programs and deliver outputs through various media sources (e.g., newspapers, radio, newsletters, websites, social media, podcasts, etc.) that attract community members from a wide variety of backgrounds.
• Develop and disseminate communication and reporting materials that reflect positively on the University and UW Extension.
• Collect data and prepare reports and presentations to share with local community members and leaders about the public value, impacts, and accomplishments of ANR programming.

Program Operations

• Ensure civil rights compliance.
• Implement strategies to expand the reach of educational programming to new audiences, and ensure all participants (potential and current) have full access to programs, services, and facilities.
• Plan for and manage risk using established procedures and resources.
• Employ appropriate fiscal management practices to ensure accuracy and accountability.
• Secure external funding to support and expand educational programming.
• Engage in Collaboratives or similar internal funding opportunities to grow and contribute to team capacity for providing robust programming.
• Demonstrate objectivity, professionalism, and accountability.
• Maintain organized records and provide accurate reports in a timely manner.

Professional Development

• Demonstrate continuing professional development to advance capacity as an Educator and/or technical expertise relevant to the ANR focus area. These activities should support annual professional development goals approved by your supervisor.
• Participate fully in UWE’s annual conference (EPIC or ENGAGE) as well as Spring Training.
• New employees: participate fully in New Employee Welcome Day, two New Employee Orientation sessions, and required Coaching Team sessions.
• Participate in professional societies relevant to your discipline, Extension, and/or industry.

Service

• Provide service to university, college, departmental, local government, and community efforts.

Primary Clientele Served by this Position

• Individuals, organizations, and businesses engaged in agricultural and natural resource issues in Wyoming, such as farm/ranch owners or operators, rural land managers, small acreage agriculture producers, community organizations, local conservation districts, agricultural experiment stations, and city officials.
• State agriculture, natural resources, wildlife, and environmental quality departments.
• Federal agriculture, natural resource, and wildlife management agencies such as Natural Resources Conservation Service, Bureau of Land Management, Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Forest Service, and others.
• Homeowners and other community members with small acreage or horticulture interests.
• Local government employees engaged in open‑space and greenspace management.
• Youths and adults engaged in 4‑H programs.

Approximate Time Distribution

• Educational programming in ANR – 85%
• Support of 4‑H Youth Development – 15%

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree from an accredited college or university. Candidates with a Master’s degree in progress may be considered for interviews, but degree must be completed by hire date.
• One degree (Master’s or Bachelor’s) must be awarded in agronomy, agroecology, plant protection, plant sciences, horticulture, soil science, agricultural engineering, agricultural systems technology, or a related field from an accredited institution.
• Reliable transportation and valid driver’s license with a motor vehicle record (MVR) compliant with the Driving for University Business SAP.
• Ability to participate in some overnight travel, evening, and weekend work.

Desired Qualifications

• Training or experience in irrigated cropping systems plus one of the following topics: weed management, soil fertility, center pivot technology, agricultural technology, or other topics relevant to clientele needs in Park County.
• Training or experience in horticulture (e.g., trees, lawns, gardens, small acreages).
• Training or experience in natural resource issues relevant to agricultural operations near the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem (e.g., agritourism, human‑wildlife interactions, water)
• Experience in developing and delivering science‑based outreach to meet needs identified by community members.
• Experience developing partnerships with external organizations or government agencies.
• Experience fostering positive relationships with clientele in a community served.
• Excellence in ability to communicate orally, in writing, and interpersonally. Evidence documented through application materials and experience.
• Experience or training in teaching youth and adult audiences.
• Experience conducting needs assessments and program impact evaluations.
• Demonstrated ability to use diverse approaches to develop and deliver science‑informed outreach.
• Demonstrated knowledge/appreciation of agricultural communities and a commitment to travel and work in remote areas and rural counties in Wyoming.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Extension and the land‑grant university system.
• Demonstrated ability to engage effectively in and contribute positively to teamwork.
• Experience in planning and implementing applied research activities.

Work Location

This position provides vital support to UW Extension clientele and requires the successful candidate to be available to work and perform essential job functions in person at the Park County Extension Offices, primarily in Powell and secondarily/occasionally in Cody, Wyoming, understanding our location is around 4,393 ft. above sea level.

Work Authorization Requirements

The successful candidate must be eligible to work in the United States, as sponsorship for any work authorization or work visas is not available for this position.

EEO Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran. In compliance with the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA), if you have a disability and would like to request an accommodation to apply for a position, please contact us at 307-766-2377 or email [e-mail].