Community Outreach Specialist

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The Ohio State University seeks a Community Outreach Specialist to help coordinate farmer-led on-farm research and engagement to improve the agronomic and economic performance and boost the adoption of agricultural conservation practices in Ohio. The position is planned to be filled at a 50-100% FTE for January through June 2026.

The position will support the From the Ground Up (FTGUp) project, a USDA Sustainable Agricultural Systems funded grant awarded to Ohio State University in partnership with Central State University, the University of Missouri, and Lincoln University. The FTGUp project is implementing collaborative research and engagement activities with farmers to improve the agronomic and economic performance of conservation practices. Since July 2024, the project has established a network of farmer-led on-farm research nodes in Ohio and Missouri to explore innovative conservation practices and document their impacts on agronomic, economic, and environmental outcomes under working farm conditions.

This position will work under the direction of the Project Manager and Project Director in the first half of 2026 to support the existing Ohio on-farm research nodes and coordinate spring and summer fieldwork activities for the project. The successful candidate will engage with and support farmers who are conducting on-farm research, coordinate with our interdisciplinary science team to schedule and carry out field sampling activities, and maintain open and transparent lines of communications between farmers and project team members. They will also assist the rest of the project team in planning and implementing extension and outreach activities.

The project is directed by Dr. Douglas Jackson-Smith, W.K. Kellogg Chair and Director of the Agroecosystem Management Program in the School of Environment and Natural Resources at the Ohio State University. The core project team is located on the OSU-CFAES, Wooster campus an interdisciplinary research station 90 minutes northeast of Columbus in the heart of a vibrant rural and agricultural landscape. The ideal candidate will have familiarity with a wide range of Ohio farms and conservation practices, and will be available to meet with the core project leadership team in Wooster on a regular basis.

Minimum Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree agricultural or environmental science, social science, or related field or equivalent experience
• Familiarity with Ohio agriculture and conservation practices
• Comfort working with a wide range of farming and food systems actors
• Strong communication and organization skills
• Able to work on a team and implement established protocols
• Ability to travel frequently in Ohio

Minimum Desired Qualifications:

• 0-2 years of experience in agricultural outreach and extension
• Masters degree in agricultural or environmental science, social science, or related field

Duties and Responsibilities:

75% -- Support on-farm research network

• Help sustain relationships and maintain clear lines of communication with farmers involved in on-farm research nodes as part of From the Ground Up (FTGUp) project.
• Coordinate fieldwork by serving as principal point of contact for scientists seeking to collect data on FTGUp farms.
• Participate in field on-farm data collection as needed.
• Handle sensitive information to protect confidentiality.

15% -- Participate in project leadership and management

• Participate in regular meetings of project leadership team and other FTGUp workgroups as needed.
• Track interactions with project farmers for reporting purposes.

10% -- Represent project with external stakeholders

• Share information about the FTGUp project at Extension meetings, farmer meetings, and other relevant outreach events.

Please upload cover letter and resume to be considered in the candidate pool.

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This job profile is a Community Outreach Analyst 1 (S1 level) on the career roadmap.

The offer for this position will fall within this range based on internal equity, units available budget, and the candidates qualifications

Final candidates are subject to successful completion of a background check. A drug screen or physical may be required during the post offer process.

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The university is an equal opportunity employer, including veterans and disability.

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