Work Location: The position will be domiciled in the Acadia Parish Cooperative Extension Service located in Crowley, Louisiana. The area to be served is Acadia Parish which is a rural area with a population of over 57,000. The parish has 30 school clubs with more than 900 youth members. In addition, the 4-H program engages more than 100 teen and adult volunteers in program implementation. Agriculture is a critical component of the parish with farm gate value of roughly $170 million annually.
Position Description: The position will have an 70% appointment in Agricultural and Natural Resources focused on Horticulture and a 30% appointment in 4-H Youth Development. In the role of Agricultural and Natural Resources (80%), the Agent will engage the community in Acadia parish with research-based educational information on horticulture (commercial and consumer). The Agent will establish advisory committees for horticulture and other related focus areas to identify clientele needs, develop extension programming, implement a system of program evaluation, and report program accomplishments and impacts annually. The Agent will provide stakeholders with research-based information and educational opportunities in horticulture through a variety of delivery methods including on-farm visits, area-wide demonstrations, workshops, field days, and other educational meetings. Commercial and consumer horticultural practices may include but are not limited to demonstration gardens, commercial vegetable demonstrations/field days, home gardens and grounds, fruits, and other horticultural programs. The Agent will disseminate LSU AgCenter recommendations, contribute to the web page of assigned parish, and assist in providing pesticide re-certification trainings. Finally, involvement with community based (Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, etc.) and parish level agricultural associations (Farm Bureau, Garden Clubs, etc.) will be necessary. In the role of Youth Development (30%), the primary focus will be in establishing and coordinating a school garden program. Additional responsibilities will be in working with and assisting other 4-H Youth Development Agents in the parish in coordinating and implementing educational programs and opportunities for 4-H members. Some examples of these would be the parish livestock show, parish 4-H achievement day, 4-H camps, and 4-H University. 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. A Master's degree in a field listed above is desired. 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 with an overall grade-point average of at least 3.0 or a current grade-point average of at least 3.0 on at least 12 hours of graduate credit. The applicant must demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills. Experience in recruiting, training and supervising volunteers and experience in teaching and applying principles of leadership development are desired. Knowledge of public relations and media experience 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 interview process.
Application Deadline: October 3, 2024 or until a suitable candidate is identified.
Application Procedure: Apply online at https://lsu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/LSU (or through Workday for internal applicants) by attaching cover letter with resume including a statement of professional interest and goals, official university transcripts, and two letters of reference. Paper, faxed or e-mailed application materials will not be accepted, except that in lieu of attaching the reference letters online, they may be sent directly to:
Jeremy P. Hebert
Southwest Region ANR Coordinator
Acadia Parish Extension Office
157 Cherokee Drive, Crowley, LA 70526
Email: jphebert@agcenter.lsu.edu
Phone: 337-788-8821
Web site: www.lsuagcenter.com
The LSU Agricultural Center is a statewide campus of the LSU System and provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. An Equal Opportunity Employer.
