Farmer Engagement Support Coordinator

Job Description

This position is supported through Advancing Markets Program grants designed to strengthen grassland resilience and promote management practices that enhance the ecosystem services and productivity of forage-livestock production systems. The successful candidate will work directly with agricultural producers to implement grazing and land management practices and monitor their impacts over time.

The position reports to the State Forage Extension Specialist and the Engagement Supervisor and collaborates closely with producers Virginia Cooperative Extension agents Small Farm Outreach Program agents agency personnel forage industry partners and faculty staff and students within Virginia Techs Sustainable Grasslands Lab in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences.

The successful candidate will provide direct technical assistance to agricultural producers coordinate and deliver outreach and educational programming support applied research initiatives and assist with the administration of grassland management programs. These efforts will focus on advancing resilient sustainable and productive grazing systems through the integration of research Extension programming and stakeholder engagement.

The role will support producers in implementing best management practices and participate in monitoring and evaluation efforts including soil health and other ecosystem indicators to assess the impacts of management changes on participating farms.

Success in this position requires the ability to work collaboratively with farmers researchers students Extension personnel and community stakeholders. The ideal candidate will be highly organized possess strong communication and relationship-building skills and be capable of coordinating field-based research and outreach activities that support both scientific and producer-driven objectives.

Required Qualifications

-Bachelors degree in agronomy crop and soil sciences animal science environmental science agricultural education natural resources or a related field; or equivalent education and experience.
-Demonstrated experience working with agricultural producers landowners or natural resource stakeholders.
-Knowledge of forage grazing pasture or grassland management principles.
-Strong organizational communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to build effective working relationships with diverse stakeholders.
-Ability to work independently manage multiple projects and priorities and coordinate activities across multiple locations.
-Experience collecting managing and maintaining accurate field research or program data.
-Valid drivers license and willingness to travel regularly throughout Virginia including to farms and field sites.

Preferred Qualifications

-Experience with warm-season native grass and/or silvopasture establishment management and outreach.
-Experience conducting field research on-farm trials or participatory research projects.
-Knowledge of soil health principles soil sampling techniques and conservation-oriented agricultural practices.
-Experience developing and delivering educational programming workshops field days or Extension outreach activities.
-Experience coordinating the work of students interns volunteers or research personnel.
-Familiarity with grant-funded projects and associated reporting requirements.

Pay Band

4

Overtime Status

Exempt: Not eligible for overtime

Appointment Type

Restricted

Salary Information

Hours per week

40

Review Date

07/19/2026 (Open until filled)

Additional Information

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

About Virginia Tech

Dedicated to its mottoUt Prosim(That I May Serve) Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world Virginia Tech is aninclusive communitydedicated to knowledge discovery and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36000 undergraduate graduate and professional students in eightundergraduate colleges aschool of medicine aveterinary medicinecollegeGraduate School andHonors College.The university has a significant presence across Virginia including Blacksburg the greater Washington D.C. area the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke sites in Newport News and Richmond and numerousExtension officesandresearch institutes.A leading global research institution Virginia Tech conducts more than $650 million in research annually.

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