Assistant Extension Specialist - Farm Viability

The Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics invites qualified candidates to apply for a tenure-track faculty position as an Assistant Extension Specialist (equivalent to Assistant Professor) in Farm Viability. This is a 12-month position, housed in the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics. The Assistant Extension Specialist will hold a majority appointment in Rutgers Cooperative Extension and is expected to be an active member of the Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics. The successful candidate is expected to develop and lead externally funded research and extension programs that support and strengthen the viability of New Jersey farms, spanning different scales, commodities, and production systems. The expected outcomes are identifying needs and providing program outreach to underserved farmers and agricultural constituencies. Programmatic emphases will include sustainable agricultural production, diversified farming systems, climate resilience, feasibility analysis, farm management and business decision-making, and the development of marketing strategies. In addition, the Assistant Extension Specialist is expected to participate in undergraduate and/or graduate teaching and advisement of independent research projects in the field of expertise.

The Assistant Extension Specialist will guide and advise professional staff (such as postdoctoral associates and graduate students) in planning, conducting, and disseminating research-based results. The Assistant Extension Specialist will work cohesively and collaboratively with faculty and staff within and across departments and centers of Rutgers and other universities and organizations.

Major Responsibilities

• Develop an impactful and appropriately resourced research and extension program that will enhance and expand the economic viability of agricultural enterprises in New Jersey.
• Identify critical needs and areas of concern impacting New Jersey farm viability, including farm financial management, emerging alternative agricultural enterprises, agricultural policy, farm risk management, marketing, climate resilience, new/beginning farmer support, and business succession.
• Employ a variety of educational delivery methods to disseminate evidence-based research to help agricultural clientele understand, evaluate, and adopt new practices, technologies, and enterprises.
• Lead or participate in appropriate agricultural research, including programs based at New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station research and extension farms.
• Utilize appropriate educational outreach delivery methods to reach a broad base of program beneficiaries, including field visits, newsletters, fact sheets, educational meetings, workshops, short courses, , web-based tools, and academic journals.
• Teach undergraduate and graduate students in the field of agricultural economics, economics, or a related field.
• Collaborate with county-based Extension faculty/staff and Extension Specialists at Rutgers and throughout the national land-grant university system, to build impactful programs in the advancement of farm viability objectives.
• Develop working relationships with various external agencies and industry partners.
• Document and track program impact based on stated objectives, develop effective evaluation techniques, and provide timely impact reporting to the Rutgers Cooperative Extension.
• Identify and secure external funding related to the above responsibilities.

Requirements

Applicants must possess a Ph.D. in either agricultural economics, economics, or a related field by August 1, 2023.

Candidates with faculty and industry knowledge, and an understanding of the Cooperative Extension program cycle are encouraged to apply.

The Department

The Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics is located on the scenic George H. Cook Campus of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey in New Brunswick, New Jersey. The members of the faculty reside in the Cook Office Building in the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. The faculty and the department offer undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral education and research opportunities in agricultural economics and related fields

Rutgers is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our priority to diversify our faculty ranks is outlined in the Rutgers DEI strategic plan. The Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics and Rutgers University are working to ensure our faculty composition reflects the diversity of our student population. We especially encourage applicants from backgrounds underrepresented in agricultural economics, including Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and LGBTQ+ scientists.

Special Instructions

Candidates should submit a single PDF containing a letter of application, curriculum vitae, concise statement of extension, teaching and research foci and objectives, and the names of three professional references. We also encourage applicants to include a description of how they integrate the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion in their research, teaching, or community engagement. Questions can be directed to Search Committee Chair, at pdgott@sebs.rutgers.edu.

Required Documents

Cover Letter/Letter of Application Teaching Philosophy Curriculum Vitae List of Professional References (contact Info) Research Statement Diversity Statement Please submit application to  https://jobs.rutgers.edu/postings/188158

For more job information visit     https://sebs.rutgers.edu/

Pre-employment Screenings

All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of all pre-employment screenings.

Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

It is university policy to provide equal employment opportunity to all its employees and applicants for employment regardless of their race, creed, color, national origin, age, ancestry, nationality, marital or domestic partnership or civil union status, sex, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, disability status, liability for military service, protected veteran status, affectional or sexual orientation, atypical cellular or blood trait, genetic information (including the refusal to submit to genetic testing), or any other category protected by law. As an institution, we value diversity of background and opinion, and prohibit discrimination or harassment on the basis of any legally protected class in the areas of hiring, recruitment, promotion, transfer, demotion, training, compensation, pay, fringe benefits, layoff, termination or any other terms and conditions of employment. For additional information please see the Non-Discrimination Statement at the following web address:

http://uhr.rutgers.edu/non-discrimination-statement