Oregon State University seeks an Assistant Professor of Practice -Extension Field Crops and Watershed Management
Position Summary
The OSU Extension Service invites applications for a full-time (1.00 FTE), 12-month, fixed-term (annual reappointment) Assistant Professor of Practice, Extension Field Crops and Watershed Management position to be located in Malheur County, Oregon. The academic home for this position is the Department of Crop and Soil Science in the College of Agricultural Sciences at Oregon State University. Reappointment is at the discretion of Regional Director, Department Head, and the Program Leader. Active contributions to scholarship are required (see the scholarship duties section, below, for details).
As a land grant institution committed to teaching, research and outreach and engagement, OSU promotes economic, social, cultural and environmental progress for the people of Oregon, the nation and the world. This position contributes to the mission of the College of Agricultural Sciences, with principal responsibility for needs assessment, Extension educational program development, delivery, and evaluation, and for conducting applied research needed to support Extension activities.
The person in this position is a spokesperson for some sectors of Treasure Valley agriculture. It is essential that the field crops extension faculty member have an in-depth understanding of the cropping systems sciences and appreciation of the area such that they can serve as a technical advisor for local industry groups and provide science and research-based guidance to other governmental agencies that are developing policies that would affect the natural resource industries of the county.
Applied research that addresses cropping system needs that result in scholarly outputs appropriate for this position is expected. What are considered to be “minor crops” on a national level (onions, alfalfa seed, dry beans, etc.) are the backbone of agriculture in Malheur County. Given this minor crop status, maintaining current and seeking new local pesticide registrations is critical to strengthening of agricultural industry success in the County. The faculty member must assist in doing needed research and paperwork to obtain local pesticide labels. This work is to be done in cooperation with other OSU and University of Idaho colleagues in the Treasure Valley.
Duties and responsibilities
65% – FIELD CROPS MANAGEMENT AND EDUCATION
Conduct needs-assessment activities to determine the educational needs of the region and its stakeholders so as to develop programs that meet those needs on a regional basis.
Design, coordinate, implement, deliver, and evaluate a mufti-faceted Extension agricultural programs that focuses on field crops important to the Treasure Valley stakeholders. These include but not limited to alfalfa, alfalfa seed, grass hay, pasture, cover crops, annual forages, small grain, corn, dry bean, mint, onions and alternative crops.
Assist field crop producers, field personnel and dealers with applied research, production, management and marketing needs. Work with other emerging new crops as deemed necessary. Develop research-based educational programs to meet these needs.
Work cooperatively with Extension faculty, department heads, and other faculty and staff to provide non-credit instruction, teaching and delivery of educational programs and materials while maintaining contact and relationships with producer groups.
Conduct or coordinate local field trials and other background work to support pesticide registrations of all types and conduct other work to enhance cropping system effectiveness in the Treasure Valley.
Work cooperatively with OSUES and research personnel, other governmental agencies, commodity groups, and groups interested in crop production and pesticide registration in team efforts to develop and provide research-based educational programs.
Develop and maintain working relationships with Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), pesticide companies and others who deal with pesticide registration and other regulatory aspects of production and marketing of regional crops.
Offer educational events eligible for pesticide license recertification credits in topics germane to target audiences.
Develop and maintain working relationships with research/Extension counterparts in Oregon and other states as needed to support the mission of OSU Extension.
Coordinate field crops extension education and research work with faculty at the Malheur Experiment Station; OSU faculty from across the state; University counterparts in SW Idaho and South Washington as well as industry partners as necessary.
Respond to or refer routine phone, correspondence, Ask Extension, and walk-in questions regarding soil productivity and field crop production, natural resource management in the designated region of work.
Provide diverse educational experiences related to improving crop production systems by conducting area meetings, workshops, conferences, and field tours as needed.
Design programs that can be offered centrally or online to maximize client participation in this large region.
Seek external funding to support and enhance this position and appropriate educational and applied research programs. (External funds may be used to promote and expand programming such as hiring an education program assistant and or equipment to assist in program expansion and delivery).
Keep records and create necessary reports to Extension Administration and the college of Agricultural Sciences, including plans of work, narrative reports, statistical reports, and reports of accomplishment.
Participate in professional development opportunities that enhance the educational programming capacities of this position.
Attend appropriate OSU training to maintain subject matter and institutional expertise.
Maintain active membership in appropriate professional organizations.
Participate in Extension cropping systems and soils Working Groups as organized by the College of Agricultural Sciences to help develop programs that contribute to scholarly outcomes and proposals that can attract extramural funds to support Extension programs.
Provide community and statewide policy leaders and decision makers relevant, science-based topic specific information so they can develop informed Ag related policies.
Explore and develop appropriate information and program delivery systems utilizing research results from disciplines associated with agriculture, education, marketing, community development and environmental management.
Create, review, edit, and update appropriate Extension publications that serve the needs of the clientele served.
15% – WATERSHED MANAGEMENT AND EDUCATION
Assist Malheur County field crop producers and landowners with appropriate information to ensure that they have the necessary tools to maintain a healthy watershed while maintaining an economically viable operation.
Respond to routine phone, correspondence and walk in questions related to watershed management.
Work cooperatively with OSUES and research personnel, other governmental agencies, commodity groups, and groups interested in watershed management in team efforts to develop and deliver research-based educational programs.
Include a diversity of perspectives in program content.
10% – SCHOLARLY OUTCOMES
Assigned duties for this position are expected to result in scholarly outcomes.
Scholarly and creative work is intellectual work whose significance is validated by peers and that is communicated. Emphasis in scholarship should be placed on outcomes that recognize activities as a professional practitioner in community settings, as defined in this position description.
To achieve promotion, scholarship for this position must include peer reviewed materials that are durable and findable in the web environment. These are typically of the two types shown below but as our communication worlds change, other types of scholarship may fit these durability and findable criteria:
• Publications in peer-reviewed journals which might encompass description and evaluation of novel community-based professional practice or research application, program development and innovation, outcomes of innovative programs and/or services, definitive professional practice reviews, or case reports among others.
• Authorship of extension publications, local or regional “practice” publications, book chapters, other educational materials and electronic information delivery media if it is either peer reviewed before dissemination or if there is evidence of its adoption and use by peers.
To achieve promotion, there must be an on-going record that both of these types of scholarship are being done though each does not need to be present in every year of record. Documentation must also be provided that shows these scholarly outputs have had impact.
These durable, web-findable materials may be augmented by other forms of peer validation such as the following:
• Invited presentations, poster and podium presentations, and published abstracts and/or proceedings at state, regional and national levels, provided that evidence of peer validation is provided.
• Documented impact due to local or regional adoption of improved practices, methods, or programs.
• Secured competitive grants and contracts appropriate for the scope and focus of the faculty member’s position.
• Named inventor of a protected intellectual property in the faculty member’s field.
• Recognition as a professional practitioner in community settings as demonstrated by
o Honorary degrees
o Awards recognizing community, professional and/or scientific achievements
o Fellowships in national professional and/or scientific organizations
o Requests to serve as a technical advisor to government agencies, industry, or professional groups
For more information regarding acceptable forms of scholarship for this position, please visit see the “Guidelines for Professor of Practice Appointments and Promotion” contained in the OSU Faculty Handbook.
Best practice is to ensure an inclusive scholarship:
• Including diverse perspectives on the research team, particularly among co-principal investigators.
• Emphasizing diversity to address broadening participation in grant proposals.
• Writing articles and books that address issues of diversity/social justice in agriculture
• Presenting at Extension and/or agriculture conference papers on issues of diversity/social justice.
• Increasing the diversity of students who serve as research assistants.
5% – ORGANIZATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY
Other duties included but are not limited to agricultural statistical data collection and local emerging issues.
Utilize appropriate and effective methods of communication to promote programs and market Extension programs locally, statewide, and nationally.
Utilize technology successfully as a tool to increase the impact of program delivery on constituents including participating with Ask Extension.
Meet the information needs of local and regional audiences by accessing information from a variety of sources and disseminating it through appropriate mechanisms (internet, newsletter, newspaper, radio, television, presentations, etc.).
Implement fee-based programming and cost-recovery practices, develop partnerships, and solicit external funding to support and enhance educational programs as appropriate.
Organize and maintain program advisory and management committees or networks to identify program needs, make recommendations, assist in program implementation, and evaluate program effectiveness.
Develop an annual plan of work addressing educational needs as well as evaluate the quality and impact of educational programs provided to audiences as appropriate.
Link your program level output with the overall OSUES and OSU brand in all opportunities. Provide community and statewide opinion leaders and decision makers the understanding and context on how your program level Extension work relates to overall OSUES programming output. Annually provide impact statement reports adhering to OSUES criteria.
Contribute to equity, inclusion, and diversity as part of teaching, educational delivery, advising, research, Extension, service, and/or scholarly outcomes.
Outputs and impacts of efforts to promote equity, inclusion, and diversity should be included in promotion dossiers.
5% – SERVICE:
Contribute to a welcoming and respectful workplace culture.
Represents OSUES in interaction with governmental agencies, commodity groups, watershed councils, and Soil and Water Conversation District.
Support OSUES and OSU through participation on committees and be a participating team member in the delivery of all Extension programs in Malheur County.
Provide all requested reports and documentation about program outputs and impacts.
Serve on College, Departmental, and/or Extension committees as appropriate.
Maintain active membership and involvement in professional organizations.
minimum Qualifications
Demonstrated teaching and organizational skills that are appropriate for adult learners.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Demonstrated experience in irrigated crop managements, or pasture management, or water quality monitoring, or herbicide and pesticide licensing.
Demonstrated ability to work as a team member with other professionals and volunteers.
Demonstrated ability to lead groups and to plan, organize, evaluate, manage, and delegate details associated with research or adult programs.
General knowledge of computers, including proficiency with e-mail, social media, and blogs.
Demonstrated ability to work independently with minimal supervision and evidence of good time management skills.
Must have or be able to obtain an Oregon Department of Agriculture Pesticide Consultant License within six months of employment and maintain it throughout employment.
Demonstrated commitment to promoting and enhancing diversity, equity, and inclusion.
This position is designated as a critical or security-sensitive position; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a Criminal History Check and be determined to be position qualified as per OSU Standard 576-055-0000 et seq. Incumbents are required to self-report convictions and those in Youth Programs may have additional Criminal History Checks every 24 months.
This position requires driving a university vehicle or a personal vehicle on behalf of the university; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a motor vehicle history check, possess and maintain a current, valid driver’s license in their state of residence, be determined to be position qualified and self-report convictions as per University Policy 05-030 et seq.
Preferred (Special) Qualifications
Doctorate degree in agronomy, horticulture, crop science, weed science, field-based entomology or plant pathology, or a closely related field.
Demonstrated experience in development and management of a successful field-based research program in an academic discipline/unit.
Demonstrated experience in a combination of the following areas – irrigated crop management, pasture management, water quality monitoring, herbicide and pesticide licensing.
Demonstrated ability to secure external funding support for education and research programs.
Demonstrated ability to adapt to the changing technological environment.
Demonstrated experience understanding the role of program advisory committees.
Demonstrated commitment to work with historically marginalized populations.
Demonstrated life experience, education, and/or training that broaden capacity to equalize the success or impact on underserved audiences.
Working Conditions / Work Schedule
- Flexibility to work evenings and weekends.
- Travel is required.
Recommended Full-Time Salary Range: $57,000-$65,004
Posting Date: 06/08/2021
Closing Date: 07/08/2021
Indicate how you intend to recruit for this search Competitive / External - open to ALL qualified applicants
Special Instructions to Applicants
When applying you will be required to attach the following electronic documents:
1) A resume/CV; finalists will be required to give an open presentation which will include the distribution of their resume/CV
2) A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position.
Applicants may elect to attach answers to the supplemental question as “Diversity Statement.”
You will also be required to submit the names of at least three professional references, their e-mail addresses and telephone numbers as part of the application process.
For additional information please contact:
Darrin Walenta via email at Darrin.walenta@oregonstate.edu
OSU commits to inclusive excellence by advancing equity and diversity in all that we do. We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, and particularly encourage applications from members of historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women, individuals with disabilities, veterans, LGBTQ community members, and others who demonstrate the ability to help us achieve our vision of a diverse and inclusive community.
This position is designated as a critical or security-sensitive position; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a criminal history check and be determined to be position qualified as per OSU Standard 576-055-0000 et seq. Incumbents are required to self-report convictions and those in youth programs may have additional criminal history checks every 24 months. Offers of employment are contingent upon meeting all minimum qualifications including the criminal history check requirement.
This position requires driving a university vehicle or a personal vehicle on behalf of the university; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a motor vehicle history check, possess and maintain a current, valid driver’s license in their state of residence, be determined to be position qualified and self-report convictions as per University Policy 05-030.