Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist- Entomology

Updated: about 2 years ago
Location: College Station, TEXAS
Deadline: The position may have been removed or expired!

Job Title

Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist- Entomology

Agency

Texas A&M Agrilife Extension Service

Department

Entomology

Proposed Minimum Salary

Commensurate

Job Location

Amarillo, Texas

Job Type

Faculty

Job Description

Assistant Professor, Extension Entomology at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center, Amarillo, Texas. Appointment is 100% Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, 12-mo., non-tenured base funded position.

Lead the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service educational and applied research efforts in integrated pest management (IPM) of wheat, corn, grain sorghum, cotton, and other crops in 22 counties in the northern Texas Panhandle (Extension District 1). Provide county support in entomology primarily related to agricultural crops and other needs as necessary. The incumbent will be expected to effectively work with colleagues (in Extension, research, other colleges, seed/chemical industry, USDA and others) in interdisciplinary teams to educate stakeholders regarding the biology and best management practices of agricultural pest arthropods (and other pests as necessary). The incumbent will work with Extension Agents and Specialists to plan, conduct, and evaluate educational programs on pest biology and management. The Extension Entomologist will serve clientele through applied research, information delivery, and development and use of appropriate training/teaching materials. Incumbent is expected to become a leader in crop protection IPM in the Texas Panhandle region, and in other parts of Texas and other states. Support of the mission of the Department of Entomology is expected including, but not limited to, the securing of extramural funding, scholarly publication, participation in graduate student advising, mentoring undergraduate students, and active participation in professional societies. As opportunities arise, the incumbent should form partnerships with on-campus faculty to address stakeholder needs.

Extension Specialists serve as subject matter experts and use their expertise to fulfill the mission of the Agency, providing support to the Extension network at the county, district, region, and state levels. Extension Specialists both individually and in team settings plan, coordinate, develop, implement, and evaluate curricula extension education programs, and educational resources. Additionally, they are expected to perform scholarly work including, but not limited to, applied research related to their subject matter area.

Roles and responsibilities of Assistant Professors and Extension Specialists are typically as follows, but can vary depending on the department and expectations of the Associate Department Head, Department Head/Unit Leader and/or Agency leadership:

Responsibilities:

People

  • Collect and synthesize information from county, regional, and statewide program development committees, clientele needs assessments, trend data, clientele organizations, and key industry leaders to guide the content, quality, and priority of programming
  • Support agents with programming and content related to the subject matter expertise through program planning meetings, individual consultation, site visits with clientele, speaking at educational programs, and in other educational roles
  • Coordinate with RPLs and appropriate agents programming efforts, result/demonstrations, and other activities when performed in counties
  • Provide professional development opportunities and trainings and mentor and coach agents as requested by Regional Program Leaders (RPLs), District Extension Administrators (DEAs), and Associate Department Heads (ADHs) in subject matter, issues identification, and program planning areas
  • Work with Agents and Agency leadership to develop and implement volunteer training activities.

Programs

  • Understands the type of programmatic approaches needed to meet the needs and capabilities of different audiences for effective program planning and implementation.
  • Develop and participate in disciplinary and interdisciplinary programming efforts as appropriate to adequately address the priority issues facing our stakeholders
  • Work to effectively coordinate and integrate programs and, as appropriate, contribute to an Extension Coordinated Program Area
  • Develop and implement evaluation strategies to assess outcomes from Extension educational programs and demonstrate evidence of program impacts (i.e., knowledge gain, behavior change, adoption of new technologies and best practices, economic impact) as measured by well-designed program evaluations
  • Participate in program planning at the multi-county or regional level and convey insights to their ADH or unit leader as appropriate

Partnerships

  • Provide timely and effective coordination, cooperation, and scheduling of activities with colleagues and personnel within Extension and across AgriLife, including but not limited to District Extension Administrators, Regional Program Leaders, Associate Department Heads/Program Leaders, other departmental or unit faculty/staff, County Extension Agents/staff, and AgriLife Research and College personnel.
  • Engage with external groups including state and federal government agencies and stakeholder organizations and other entities to better understand issues and potential partner in addressing stakeholder needs.
  • Seek grants, contacts, and other revenue sources to advance and sustain programmatic efforts in the subject area
  • Member of professional organizations and societies
  • Demonstrate collegiality by serving on departmental/unit, Extension and AgriLife committees, and demonstrating a track record of building effective working relationships across departments, agencies, and/or colleges

Scholarly Efforts

  • Develop, implement, and evaluate innovative educational programs resources and materials (e.g., fact sheets, instruction manuals, educational videos, online courses, computer software programs, apps, etc.)
  • Conduct applied or translational research that is in line with the Extension programming effort
  • Publish creative and scholarly work in refereed journals appropriate to the faculty member’s subject matter area, and present research findings at relevant industry meetings, professional meetings, or conferences
  • Support academic pursuits in the subject matter area through activities such as guest lectures, undergraduate student mentorship, student club activities, student competitive team activities, graduate student mentorship, and serving on graduate student committees.

Education and Experience:

  • Preferred - doctoral degree that aligns with the programmatic work of the agency, unit and/or position (completed or anticipated completion by January 1, 2022).
  • Preferred – published research results in refereed journals

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

  • Experience in area of specialization, ability to write grant proposals to secure external funding; development and implementation of extension programming; evidence of publishing in peer-reviewed journals; and participation in professional societies.
  • Ability to communicate effectively in the English language. 
  • Competence in the use of personal computers; navigating communications, team collaboration, word processing and spreadsheet software; and using appropriate statistical-analysis software is required.
  • Quantifiable knowledge and experience in the planning, design, implementation and evaluation of field experiments and educational programming of pest management tactics is essential.
  • Candidate must have demonstrated ability to work closely with agricultural producers and diverse audiences, to communicate effectively (both oral and written), and to function effectively as a team member or leader.

Administrative Relationships:

The incumbent will be a faculty member in the Department of Entomology at Texas A&M University, supervised by the Associate Department Head for Extension Entomology and the Entomology Department Head. The Extension Entomologist will be a part of the faculty at the Amarillo Research and Extension Center and will work with faculty, staff and administrative staff at the Center. The individual shall exhibit collegiality to all faculty, staff, students, clientele groups, and administrators, and cooperate and collaborate with Department and Center Faculty, District Extension Administrators, Regional Program Directors, County Extension Agents-Ag/NR, and Extension Agents-IPM.

Facilities: The Amarillo Center houses 15 Research and Extension faculty, providing excellent opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration. Facilities include laboratories and office space, and an auditorium. Field research can be done on experimental farms at Bushland, TX, including the James Bush Farm, the Texas A&M AgriLife Research farm, and the nearby USDA-ARS farm in Bushland; or on grower-cooperator fields. The Center is located in a major cropping region featuring both irrigated and rain-fed production. There are ample housing, education, transportation, and recreation opportunities in the nearby cities of Amarillo and Canyon (home of West Texas A&M University).

Closing Date:  February 18, 2022 or until a suitable candidate is identified).

For More Detailed Information:

Review the most recent edition of the Professorial Career Ladder System for Extension Specialist Faculty for more detailed information.

Reporting Line:

Extension Specialists and Program Specialists, depending on their home unit, report to an Associate Department Head and respective Department Head or Unit Leader. As applicable Regional Program Leaders and Program Area Coordinators will provide input in the specialist’s annual review.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution’s verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution’s procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.

Equal Opportunity/AffirmativeAction/Veterans/Disability Employer committed to diversity.



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