POSITION VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT

Work Location:  The area to be served is located in southeast Louisiana’s River Region Parishes and Greater New Orleans area, which includes St. Charles Parish with assistance to St. John, St. James, Jefferson, Orleans, St. Bernard, and Plaquemines Parishes. Domicile will be in St. Charles Parish. Agricultural commodities in these parishes consist of nursery crops, commercial vegetables, landscape horticulture, consumer horticulture, cattle, horses, hay, sugarcane, and marine fisheries.

Position Description: The Assistant/Associate Extension Agent (100% ANR) will engage the community in designated parishes with research based educational information on horticulture (commercial and consumer). The agent will select, maintain and work with advisory committees for agriculture and follow an annual plan of work. Commercial and consumer horticultural practices will include demonstration gardens (community/schools), commercial vegetable demonstrations/field days, home gardens and grounds, fruits, and other horticultural programs. The agent will develop, deliver, and evaluate high-quality, research-based horticulture programming that addresses local needs. The agent will also provide leadership for the Master Gardener program in designated parish(es). Involvement with agricultural and horticultural associations, such as Southeast La Nursery Association and parish Farm Bureau, will be necessary. Educational and community engagement techniques will include utilization of current and emerging technologies and social media that will have an impact on the food systems, community, and economic development. As an Extension employee, the agent must be willing to continue professional development and remain current with agriculture and natural resources research and its application to programming. The incumbent is expected to be an effective team player, work cooperatively with other Extension faculty at the parish, region, and state levels and perform other tasks that may be assigned by supervisor(s). The agent will work under the administrative supervision and direction of the parish chair and regional director. In order to attend and conduct training to meet the needs of clientele, this position requires some overnight travel and work on evenings and weekends.

Qualification Requirements: A baccalaureate degree in agricultural education, an agricultural/environmental science, biological sciences, horticulture, or closely related areas is required.  Must have an undergraduate degree with an overall grade-point average of at least 2.5 (all GPA requirements based on a 4.0 system) and a 3.0 for graduate work attempted, if any, or master’s degree or a current grade-point average of at least 3.0 on at least 12 hours of graduate credit. This applicant must demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills.  A Master’s degree in a field listed above is desired.  Experience in recruiting, training and supervising volunteers and experience in teaching and applying principles of leadership development to both youth and adults is also desired.  Knowledge of public relations and the ability to cope with change are highly desirable characteristics.  Ability to work with and through others is essential as is the ability to function with minimum supervision.

Salary and Benefits: Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.  The LSU AgCenter has an attractive benefits package with a wide variety of benefit options.  Benefits offered include retirement, multiple medical insurance options, supplemental insurances (dental, life, long-term disability, accident, vision, long-term care, etc.), Tax Saver Flexible Benefits Plan (saves tax dollars on some child care and medical expenses), university holidays (14 per year, typically includes a week off at Christmas), generous annual (vacation) and sick leave benefits, Employee Assistance Program, and possible educational leave and tuition exemption for coursework at campuses of the LSU System.  Specific benefits depend on job category, percent effort and length of employment.

Conditions of Employment:  A personal automobile and appropriate insurance coverage is required (travel allowance provided).  Satisfactory completion of two specific graduate level extension courses (6 credit hours) is generally required in the first two years of employment.  Additionally, a faculty member who does not have a related master’s degree must complete an additional 9 hours of related graduate level coursework in order to be promoted to associate agent and such promotion must occur in the first seven years of employment.  An exception is that additional agent experience may be substituted for nine hours of coursework, but not for the two required courses.

Date Available:  Upon completion of the selection process.

Application Deadline: February 12, 2024 or until a suitable candidate is identified.

Application Procedure: Qualified candidates must apply online at https://lsu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/LSU  (or through Workday for internal applicants) by attaching file(s) containing a curriculum vita, a letter of application, official university transcripts, and two letters of reference. Questions about the online application system should be directed to the HRM Office at 225/578-0324. (Paper, faxed, or emailed application materials will not be accepted.)  In lieu of attaching the letters of reference, they may be sent directly to:

Dr. Kali Zammit

LSU AgCenter, St. Charles Parish Chair

P.O. Box 557

Norco, LA. 70079

Email: KZammit@agcenter.lsu.edu 

Phone: (985) 785-4473

Web site:  www.lsuagcenter.com

The Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and applications will be accepted without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability. Information on Equal Employment can be obtained from the EEO and Civil Rights Coordinator, 103 J. Norman Efferson Hall, LSU AgCenter, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. Phone 225.578.2258.  It is the policy of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service to employ only United States citizens or aliens lawfully authorized to work in the United States.

The LSU Agricultural Center is a statewide campus of the LSU System and provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. An Equal Opportunity Employer.