Specialist, Specialty Crops and Certification Programs

IPM Institute; Madison (WI); Hybrid; USD 45,000 - 51,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Dental insurance

Retirement plan

Short and long-term disability

Paid time off

Paid sick leave

Paid holidays

Job summary

IPM Institute seeks a full-time Specialist to support Specialty Crops and IPM certification programs. You’ll help farmers, pest management providers, and agricultural partners achieve sustainable results for the environment, people, and their businesses.

You’ll work with the project team, project partners, clients and other stakeholders to develop, manage, maintain and evaluate initiatives that help advance sustainability in agriculture and public health.

Qualifications

• Experience with agricultural production and pesticide use
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent data analysis and analytical skills
• Excellent attention to detail
• Excellent organizational and time management skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office including high level of comfort in Excel
• Experience, knowledge and demonstrated interest in sustainable agriculture
• Must possess a valid drivers license

Responsibilities

• Provide on-farm technical assistance (crop scouting) and IPM services for growers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, northern Illinois and northeast Iowa.
• Coordinate client outreach, new client onboarding, and certification process.
• Review standards for certification programs annually.
• Collaborate with project teams to implement training programs and outreach for certifications and public health efforts.
• Maintain strong communication within the team and with external project partners.

Skills

Project management

Verbal and written communication

Data analysis

Excel

Microsoft Office

Sustainable agriculture knowledge

Driver's license

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Agronomy, Horticulture, Entomology, Plant Pathology, Weed Science, Environmental Science or related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Excel

Job description

Do you have a passion for sustainable agriculture and an interest in providing technical assistance and services to farmers? The IPM Institute is seeking a full-time Specialist to support our Specialty Crops and IPM certification programs. You’ll help farmers, pest management service providers, and other agricultural partners achieve high-impact results for the environment, people, and their businesses. The individual in this position will work with the project team, project partners, clients and other stakeholders to develop, manage, maintain and evaluate initiatives that help advance sustainability in agriculture and public health.

The qualified candidate will possess the necessary skills to execute the following objectives of the position:

1. Support Specialty Crops Services projects with on-farm technical assistance (crop scouting) and integrated pest management services for apple growers throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin, northern Illinois and northeast Iowa.
2. Support certification programs by coordinating client outreach, new client on-boarding, and the certification process, and annually review standards for certification programs.
3. Collaborate with project teams to coordinate implementation of training programs and outreach to support certifications and public health efforts related to sustainable pest management.
4. Maintain strong and consistent communication within our team and with external project partners.
5. Contribute to a positive and collaborative team culture.

Education/Experience: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Agronomy, Horticulture, Entomology, Plant Pathology, Weed Science, Environmental Science or a related field, plus 3+ years of project management experience.

Qualifications

Minimum qualifications include:

• Experience or familiarity with agricultural production, including pesticide use
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent data analysis and analytical skills
• Excellent attention to detail
• Excellent organizational and time management skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office including high level of comfort in Excel
• Experience, knowledge and demonstrated interest in sustainable agriculture
• Must possess a valid drivers license

Preferred qualifications include:

• Customer relationship management, customer service, and sales (preferably within the agriculture sector).
• Working familiarity with certification programs (food safety, sustainability or other QA programs)

Flexible schedule (set your own hours), salary position starting at $44,500 to $51,000 annually depending on skills and experience. Excellent opportunities for long-term advancement. Benefits include health, dental and optional life insurance, retirement plan, short and long-term disability, paid time off, paid sick leave and paid holidays. Located on the near east side of Madison.

This position is housed in the Madison office, with potential to work up to two days per week remotely after 90 days. The candidate must be willing to work in variable outdoor weather conditions May through September, maintain an office schedule October to April. Attire appropriate for an outdoor-work environment required.

The IPM Institute of North America, Inc. is a non-profit organization formed in 1998. Our mission is to improve sustainability in agriculture and communities by using the power of the marketplace. Our Sustainable Food Group team works on more than a dozen projects to increase adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and other sustainability best practices that reduce risks to health and the environment from pesticide and nutrient use in agriculture and communities and improve working conditions, soil health, water and air quality.