Assistant Dairy & Commodity Operations Manager

Position Summary

As part of the College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) team, the Assistant Dairy & Commodity Operations Manager assists with dairy operations and manages inventory, storage and quality control of feed commodities. Reporting to the Assistant Director, this role provides critical operational support for Dairy and Commodity operations at the Multispecies Animal Learning Complex (MALC).

The Assistant Dairy & Commodity Operations Manager is a dual-function role responsible for supporting daily dairy farm operations and managing the strategic sourcing and logistics of agricultural commodities. This position ensures optimal animal health and welfare, efficient milk production, and the timely procurement and delivery of feed, forage, and other essential inputs. The role requires close collaboration with farm staff, veterinarians, nutritionists, and suppliers to maintain high standards of productivity, sustainability, and cost-efficiency across the operations.

The manager collaborates with faculty, staff, and students to promote educational excellence and foster a collaborative team environment across the MALC and the Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory, promoting effective communication, shared accountability, and alignment of operational goals to support integrated farm management.

Key Responsibilities

Dairy Operations Management

• Assist in overseeing daily dairy operations including milking, feeding, herd health, and facility and robotic dairy equipment maintenance.
• Monitor animal welfare and collaborate with veterinary and nutrition teams to ensure herd health.
• Supervise student employees and oversee training, and scheduling to promote a safe and productive work environment.
• Ensure compliance with safety, environmental, and animal welfare regulations.
• Maintain accurate records of production, treatments, and operational metrics.

Commodity & Feed Management

• Coordinate the ordering, receiving, inventory tracking, and utilization of feed commodities to meet operational and nutritional needs
• Maintains compliance with safety, biosecurity, and regulatory standards
• Monitor commodity markets and trends to inform purchasing decisions and manage risk.
• Maintain relationships with vendors and service providers.
• Ensure feed quality through testing, inspection, and adherence to nutritional standards.
• Work closely with livestock teams, nutritionists, and finance staff to align feed and procurement strategies with operational goals.

Compliance & Biosecurity

• Ensure adherence to all local, state, and federal regulationsregardinganimal welfare, food safety, and environmental standards
• Work closely with the Biosecurity Manager to develop and enforce biosecurity protocols for dairy operations.
• Train staff and studentsonbiosecurity practices.

Education, Research & Innovation

• Support academic programs through experiential learning and mayassistwith hands-on instruction.
• Coordinate and supportresearch projects conducted within the dairy facility, including data collection, protocol adherence, and reporting.
• Promote a culture of biosecurity awareness and accountability.
• Contribute to innovation in dairy and biosecurity management practices.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED
• 4 years of experience required
• Familiarity with livestock nutrition, commodity markets, and agricultural logistics.
• Proficiency in farm management and inventory software.

Desired Qualifications

• Bachelors degree in animal science, Agribusiness, Agricultural Economics, or related field
• 35 years of experience in dairy farm operations and/or commodity management.
• Strong leadership, communication, and analytical skills.
• Proficiency in farm management and inventory software.

Working Conditions

• Work is performed in both office and farm environments.
• Exposure to livestock, machinery, and varying weather conditions.
• May require lifting, driving farm vehicles, and working extended hours during peak seasons.

The salary range for this position is $17.50-$22.86/hr. plus staff benefits.

*The offer for this position will fall within this range based on internal equity, units available budget, and the candidates qualifications*

*This job profile is a Farm coordinator 4 (T4 level) on the career roadmap.*