Agriculture Water Quality Outreach Specialist

Universities of Wisconsin • Madison, WI

3d • $65,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Agriculture Water Quality Outreach Specialist will develop and deliver educational outreach for research and modeled assessments aligned with Wisconsin's Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy. It will have a lead role in translating and sharing the findings of newly developed Phosphorus and Nitrogen Science Assessments with farmers, farm advisors, and agency personnel. Through "train-the-trainer" initiatives and collaborative partnerships, this position will help practitioners understand how agricultural decisions impact local water quality and regional nutrient balances. Specific duties of this position include:
Identifies, promotes, and maintains external partnerships to support the outreach program
Develop and evaluates curriculum and programs and provides recommendations for improvement, with a heavy focus on translating results related to Developing a Science Assessment for Wisconsin's Nutrient Reduction into accessible learning tools.
Deliver outreach program content and materials to conservationists, farmers and other stakeholders
Perform statistical analysis on water quality data and create clear, engaging data visualizations of complex research for a variety of audiences (e.g. farmers, conservationists, scientists)
Schedule and secures resources and communicates logistics in support of an outreach program
Research, develop, and facilitate outreach program content and materials
May assist with the monitoring of outreach program budget spending

Requirements

• 3 or more years of relevant professional experience in agriculture, conservation, applied research or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated ability to effectively translate and communicate complex water quality, soil conservation, and nutrient management concepts to diverse audiences through both written materials and public speaking.
• Proven technical literacy in analyzing water quality or similar research data and translating those findings into clear, engaging visual representations, graphics, and presentation materials.
• Demonstrated ability to build trust and work collaboratively with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives, including farmers, conservationists, researchers, and agency partners.
• Hands-on experience developing, coordinating, and delivering educational programs or curriculum.
• Master's degree in a field related to this position's focus.
• 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.

Nice To Haves

• Hands-on experience using R or RStudio for statistical analysis and generating high-quality data visualizations.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills with a demonstrated ability to navigate complex stakeholder dynamics and solve problems collaboratively in a team environment.
• Deep experience tailoring highly technical scientific findings into clear, actionable insights for non-scientific audiences.
• Experience writing successful grants and establishing partnerships that pool or leverage public and private funds.

Responsibilities

• Schedules and secures resources and communicates logistics in support of an outreach program
• 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
• Perform statistical analysis on water quality data and create clear, engaging visual representations of complex research for diverse audiences (from scientists to local farmers).
• Researches, develops, and facilitates outreach program content and materials
• Develops and evaluates curriculum and programs and provides recommendations for improvement
• Identifies, promotes, and maintains external partnerships to support the outreach program
• May assist with the monitoring of outreach program budget spending

Benefits

• generous paid time off
• competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance
• tax-advantaged savings accounts
• participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level