Campus Farm Program Coordinator

University of Maryland•College Park, MD

2d•$51,942 - $62,330•Onsite

About The Position

This position is a 12-month staff vacancy with responsibilities that include the overall management of the animals, facilities, and equipment on the Campus Farm. In addition, the Program Coordinator will provide high-quality animal care to animals located on the department’s Campus Farm, ensure animal availability for various classes, and assist with laboratory instruction and coordination. The Program Coordinator must also supervise an Assistant Coordinator, staff and student farm labor; maintain communication and working relationships with other UMCP farm facilities, locations, managers, and AGNR faculty and staff; handle routine repair and maintenance of facilities, farm equipment, and vehicles; maintain accurate animal health records, as well as farm SOPs per IACUC teaching and use protocols; and finally, facilitate the instruction of courses or animal laboratory sections as needed.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university.
One (1) year of agricultural, animal handling, animal feeding, and general animal care experience.
Knowledge of animal handling, feeding and general care.
Knowledge of farm equipment.
Skill in oral and written communication.
Skill in the use of Microsoft Office products.
Ability to interpret and apply policies, procedures, regulations, and laws.
Ability to multitask while demonstrating a commitment to customer service and sensitivity to a culturally and ethnically diverse community.

Nice To Haves

A master’s degree in animal sciences is preferred.
Previous supervisory experience is highly preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide overall operational leadership of the Campus Farm; plan, organize, coordinate and evaluate daily operations supporting teaching, research and outreach.
Exercise independent judgment in prioritizing work, allocating resources, coordinating competing instructional needs, and resolving operational issues with minimal supervision. This includes overall responsibility for the animals, facilities, and equipment on the Campus Farm, while working closely with department students, staff, and faculty.
Assign work, provide day-to-day supervision, train, coach, evaluate performance, and participate in recruitment and onboarding of staff (Ag Worker II & Coordinator, Technical Research Operations) and student employees, as appropriate. This includes student clubs and organizations that use the Campus Farm facilities and animals (primarily the UM Equestrian Club and Block and Bridle Club).
Ensure compliance with university policies, IACUC protocols, safety standards, farm SOPS, accurate animal health records, and applicable regulatory requirements; identify and implement corrective actions where needed. This includes providing high-quality animal care to animals located on the campus farm: a small and highly visible instructional and research facility adjacent to the Animal Sciences building on the College Park campus. The facility permanently houses 4-6 horses, a small (20 ewe) breeding flock of sheep, and 6-20 dairy goats to support the undergraduate teaching program. Other animal species, including beef, dairy cattle, swine, and poultry, are housed temporarily as dictated by the instructional and research needs of the department).
Coordinate animal availability, laboratory logistics, and instructional schedules in collaboration with faculty; independently facilitate laboratory instruction as assigned.
Serve as the primary operational liaison with faculty, researchers, students, University farm managers, and external visitors - acting as a public representative for the Department of Animal and Avian Sciences and the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and offering public tours to local student educational groups and campus visitors. The program coordinator also maintains communication and working relationships with other UMCP farm facilities, locations, managers, and AGNR faculty and staff.
Monitor operational supply needs, recommend purchases and equipment replacement priorities, and coordinate resource utilization. This includes storage/inventory oversight and managing the routine repair and maintenance of facilities, farm equipment, and vehicles.