Extension Educator, Prescribed Fire (Cloquet/Duluth, Brainerd, or Grand Rapids)

University of Minnesota; Minneapolis (MN); Sur place; USD 68 000 - 78 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

University of Minnesota Extension is seeking an Extension Educator to lead the Minnesota Certified Prescribed Burn Manager curriculum development and delivery. The role collaborates with the Minnesota Prescribed Fire Council, DNR, and other partners to pilot educational programs across regional offices.

The position emphasizes field-based instruction, oral and written communication, and project leadership to advance sustainable prescribed fire practices in Minnesota communities.

Qualifications

• Must hold a master's degree addressing natural, physical, or social science problems related to wildland fire, silviculture, forest management, or natural resource conservation.
• Ability to deliver programming to diverse audiences including semi-professional and professional.
• Strong written and oral communication in English.

Responsabilités

• Lead development and delivery of a new Minnesota Certified Prescribed Burn Manager curriculum.
• Engage stakeholders and collaborate with MN Prescribed Fire Council and state agencies.
• Deliver programming in-person and online, and evaluate impact of work.
• Coordinate grant activities and reporting for LCCMR project 2026-143.
• Collaborate with Extension, faculty, and staff across UMN units.

Connaissances

Master's degree

Prescribed fire knowledge

Prescribed fire experience

Communication skills

Collaboration with stakeholders

English proficiency

Formation

Master's degree in natural, physical, or social sciences

Description du poste

About the Job

Working Title:Extension Educator, Prescribed Fire

Jobcode:9624NR,AssistantExtensionProfessor-NaturalResources

Employee Group:ProfessionalandAdministrative(P&A)

Full/Part Time (FTE):100%time.Thisinanin-office,in-personposition,withoptionsfor flexibility

Regular/Temporary:Regular;positioniscurrentlyfundedthroughJuneof2029

Office location:Preferred UMN Extension Regional Office locations are in Cloquet/Duluth, Brainerd,orGrandRapids.OtherExtensionRegionalOfficelocationsmayalsobeconsidered.

Pay Range: $68,000-$78,000 annually; depending on education/qualifications/experience

Apply By: November 20, 2026

This is a regional Extension Educator position that is currently funded through June 2029 with the primary responsibility to develop, pilot, and deliver a new Minnesota Certified Prescribed Burn Manager (CPBM) program. This program will be developed in collaboration with the Minnesota Prescribed Fire Council, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, and other stakeholders. Council members and collaborators in other states have been working to synthesize and prepare CPBM curriculum materials, and this position will assume leadership for the development and delivery of this work.

The educator will be a member of the UMN Extension Forestry team and collaborate closely with Cloquet Forestry Center staff as well as Extension educators, program coordinators, and specialists. Other collaborators include research faculty from the UMN Department of Forest Resources and other units. Key roles will include stakeholder network development, delivering Extension programming and research-based content through modalities including face-to-face and remotely, synchronously and asynchronously, written, podcast, video, or others. The position may also provide technical assistance to help grassland and forest managers identify and implement sustainable forest management activities at scale.

This position is supervised by the UMN Extension Natural Resources Program Leader. Funding for this position was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).

Location and Work Environment

This is an in-office, in-person position, with options for flexibility. Some of this work will be done in the community, in outdoor or off-grid or forest environments and similar locations. Work may be conducted in all weather conditions, and will need to traverse outdoor/uneven/various ground and environmental conditions and factors. This position includes occasional work in smoky, fire present locations (e.g. on site during active prescribed burn treatments).

Preferred UMN Extension Regional Office locations are in Cloquet, Brainerd, or Grand Rapids. Other Extension Regional Office locations may also be considered.

Work Schedule

This position will mainly work Monday-Friday, but program delivery activities and travel are often required on evenings and weekends. This position requires overnight travel to locations across Minnesota approximately 1-3 nights per month and additional day trips approximately 1-3 times per month.

Primary Responsibilities

70% Program Leadership and Delivery

• Design, develop, deliver, and evaluate evidence-based educational programming to advance competent, professional prescribed burn management. Namely, a new Minnesota Certified Prescribed Burn Manager program

• Identify educational needs and audiences, and design educational curricula and materials to meet those needs with an audience of aspiring prescribed burn managers. This will include synthesizing materials from existing wildland fire coursework and certified burn manager programs in other states to formalize new curriculum for Minnesota.

• Deliver programing at in-person and possibly online Extension and partner programs so attendees can gain knowledge and skills and change behavior.

• Evaluate and report on the impact of this work and how it may need to change in the future.

• Cultivate relationships with colleagues and collaborators in other states, as well as Minnesota stakeholders, to ensure quality, relevance, and audience alignment for the new curriculum.

25% Partnerships and Collaborations

• Engage key partners through the Minnesota Prescribed Fire Council to ensure broad stakeholder support for the new curriculum and program. Partner organizations include the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, nonprofit organizations including The Nature Conservancy, private contractors, Tribal fire and natural resource leads, and others.

• Coordinate other project and grant activities, including reporting requirements, for LCCMR project 2026-143, Certified Prescribed Burn Manager Curriculum Development and Pilot, which is funding the position.

• Collaborate internally with faculty from the College of Food, Agricultural, and Natural Resources Sciences, University of Minnesota Crookston, the Natural Resources Research Institute, and other units.

• Pursue grant funding to extend CPBM program and create other opportunities for prescribed fire training and technical assistance as identified by stakeholders.

5% Scholarship and Professional service

• As a member of the Extension natural resources team, contribute fire-related expertise to other Extension programming addressing ecosystem health, grassland and forest adaptation and resilience, and/or related issues.

• Actively contribute scholarship and service as a member of the Extension, and broader University of Minnesota community. Document professional performance using the annual performance review, professional plan of work and promotion processes for Extension educators with rank.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

(must be documented on application materials)

• Amaster'sdegreeaddressingapplicationsofnatural,physical,orsocialscienceto problemsincluding,butnotlimitedtowildlandfire,silviculture,forestmanagement, natural resource conservation, or a related field.

• Sufficientknowledgeofthescienceandpracticeofprescribedfiretodeliver programming to diverse, semi-professional and professional audiences.

• Experienceinthepracticeofprescribedfire.

• Demonstrated ability to communicate complex scientific information clearly and concisely in appropriate formats for various audiences, particularly in natural resource sectors (may include scientists, community members, decision makers, students, media, or others).

• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain ineffective working relationships and collaborations with colleagues, partners, and stakeholders.

• Excellent English communications skills, including oral, written, and graphic/image formats and the ability to use technology to enhance learning.

Additional Requirements

• Validdriver'slicenseandownmeansoftransportationwithrequiredliabilityinsurance,to be utilized for travel to workshops and transporting materials and supplies to events; the need to transport other people/employees may occur.

• Alargeamountofthisposition'sworkwillbeinanofficeorotherindoorenvironments, but there will be a need to participate in activities in the field, including site visits, instruction, demonstrations, and other outdooractivities.Indoingso,thepersoninthis position will need to traverse terrain (typically in forests, brushlands, or prairies) and work in various weather conditions incl... (continued) ...},