The posting
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Job Category:
Academic Staff
Employment Type:
Regular
Job Profile:
Outreach Specialist
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 Regional 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 Regional 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 Washington, Ozaukee and Sheboygan Counties.
The Regional 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 primary programming focus is Washington, Ozaukee and Sheboygan Counties; however, programming may be conducted over a broader geographical area. The position location is flexible within the region and will be determined based 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. Read more about UW-Madison Driver Authorization.
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.
Physical Requirements
- Ability to walk on uneven ground in the course of farm visits or field work.
- Ability to lift 25 pounds
- Ability work outside in inclement weather
Key Job Responsibilities:
- Develops and evaluates curriculum and programs and provides recommendations for improvement
Communicates plans, activities, and achievements to Area Extension Director, Program Managers, County Partners and relevant Stakeholders through the reporting portal and verbal updates.
Develops and supports on-farm research including building collaboration with growers and industry partners, implementing on-farm trials, data collection and sharing results
- Delivers outreach program content and materials to community members
- May assist with the monitoring of outreach program budget spending
- Leads the implementation of programs, policies, and procedures through oversight of day-to-day activities for program staff and student and community volunteers
- Identifies, promotes, and maintains external partnerships to support the outreach program
- Researches, develops, and facilitates outreach program content and materials
- Schedules and secures resources and communicates logistics in support of an outreach program
Department:
About Extension
Extension embodies the Wisconsin Idea by developing and connecting the research and educational resources of UW–Madison with residents and communities to address local, statewide, and national issues. We teach, learn, lead and serve, transforming lives and communities.
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. Benefits information can be found at (https://hr.wisc.edu/benefits/)
Required Qualifications:
- Three or more years relevant professional experience.
- Demonstrated skills in interpreting, utilizing, and applying evidence-based information and research findings.
- Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively, both written and verbal, using a variety of methods and technologies.
- Demonstrated ability to effectively work with people from a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives.
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.
Education:
Required Education
Bachelor’s degree in a field of study related to this position's focus
Preferred Education
Master’s degree in a field of study related to this position’s focus.
How to Apply:
We are eager to learn more about how your experience and passion may align with this position. To begin the application process, click the "apply now" button. You will be prompted to upload the following documents:
- Resume
- Letter of Qualifications (cover letter)
Please note when applying, there will be only one attachment field. You must upload all your documents in the attachment field. 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. Your cover letter should communicate your interest in the position and how your skillset aligns with the role. The application reviewers will be relying on written application materials to determine who may advance to preliminary interviews. Failure to upload all required materials may result in your application not being considered.
For additional guidance and resources on how to tailor your application materials to the job posting, please click https://extension.wisc.edu/careers/.
Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without need of employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.
Application Deadline is November 2, 2026 at 11:59pm (CDT).
Contact Information:
Michele Blakeman (Human Resources)
(608) 262-7110
Patricia Carroll (Hiring Manager)
(920) 386-3790
Institutional Statement on Diversity:
Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.
To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.
Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.
The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).
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