Diversified Vegetable and Emerging Crops Educator

Job Summary: Extension has been working with farmers for more than 100 years, and we’re diversifying our staffing portfolio to meet the evolving needs of our clientele. The Diversified Vegetable and Emerging Crops Educator position is designed to work with crop producers and agribusiness professionals across a multi-county service area to solve production challenges and incorporate new research findings into outreach and educational materials that improve the efficiency and profitability of crop production.

The Diversified Vegetable and Emerging Crops Educator will work with producers in their service area to identify needs and deliver research-based solutions to help them meet their goals. This position will cover Barron, Burnett, Washburn, and Sawyer counties.

The Diversified Vegetable and Emerging Crops Educator will:

• Collaborate with Extension colleagues to identify needs and develop and maintain robust, high-quality outreach education programs to find solutions to the most critical crop management issues facing Wisconsin producers.
• Develop and maintain a specific expertise related to crop production and management.
• Build trust-based relationships with stakeholders.

The ideal candidate will have experience with developing and evaluating educational programming and a track record of building positive relationships.

Regional Location

The programming focus will be shared among Barron, Burnett, Sawyer and Washburn Counties. The position location will likely be at the Spooner Ag Research station in Spooner, WI, but location may be flexible depending on programmatic needs, successful candidate’s preferences, and availability of suitable space.

In Person

It is anticipated this position requires work be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location.

Evening/Weekend Work

This position may be required to work occasional nights and weekends to meet the program needs and priorities of the communities served.

Travel Expectations

It is expected that employees will make individual arrangements for transportation adequate to meet position responsibilities and essential job functions. Applicants are required to: Have a valid drivers license and a reliable source of independent transportation for periodic in-state work travel, and/or comply with requirements for UW-Madison vehicle use authorization.

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Leads the implementation of programs, policies, and procedures through oversight of day-to-day activities for program staff and student and community volunteers
• Delivers outreach program content and materials to community members
• Schedules and secures resources and communicates logistics in support of an outreach program
• May assist with the monitoring of outreach program budget spending
• Develops and evaluates curriculum and programs and provides recommendations for improvement
• Identifies, promotes, and maintains external partnerships to support the outreach program
• Researches, develops, and facilitates outreach program content and materials

Department: About Extension. UW-Madison’s Division of Extension serves the people and communities of Wisconsin by addressing local, statewide and national issues, improving lives through research-based education, fostering partnerships and action, and facilitating positive impacts.

About the Institute

The UW-Madison Division of Extension Agriculture Institute addresses emerging issues related to Wisconsin’s agriculture and horticulture systems with research-based outreach to advance economically sustainable, socially responsible, and environmentally sound practices.

About the Program

The Agriculture Institute’s Crops and Soils Program works hand-in-hand with row crop, forage, fruit and vegetable producers to implement best practices for every aspect of the growing phase. The Crops and Soils program provides timely resources and information to help crop producers and their agricultural consultants manage crops efficiently and profitably. Crops & Soils

Compensation: The minimum annual (12 months) starting salary for the position is $62,000 but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications. Benefits: Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and paid time off; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits.

Required Qualifications:

• Three or more years relevant professional experience
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both written and verbal, through a variety of technologies
• Demonstrated ability to effectively work with people from a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives.
• Demonstrated skills in interpreting, utilizing, and applying evidence-based information and research findings.
• Physical Requirements: Ability to lift 50 pounds without assistance; Ability to work outside in inclement weather

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience with building diverse, collaborative partnerships to accomplish goals.
• Strong interpersonal relationship and problem-solving skills in a team setting.
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team.
• Demonstrated educational program development skills which include planning and implementing programs; evaluating learning experiences; and communicating program impact and value, in both written and verbal formats, for a variety of lay and other audiences as well as stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience in understanding experimental design, statistical analysis and interpreting research data.
• Demonstrated ability to write grants and establish partnerships that pool or leverage public and private funds in support of the Institutional mission.
• Demonstrated fiscal management skills.
• An individual who is recognized as a partner by tribal communities of Wisconsin or will be able to quickly develop relationships with the twelve American Indian Nations of Wisconsin.

Education: Required: Bachelor’s degree in a field related to this position’s focus. Preferred: Master’s degree in a field related to this position’s focus.

How to Apply: Please submit a cover letter referring to your work experience and a resume detailing your educational and professional background as it relates to this position. The application deadline is November 6, 2025.