Assistant Professor - Extension Soil Science

North Dakota State University (NDSU) Extension and the School of Natural Resource Sciences (SNRS) is recruiting a highly motivated faculty member to serve as an Extension soil health specialist for North Dakota.
NDSU Extension Service is an organization that values people who excel, adapt easily, exhibit a passion for helping others, and are excellent communicators.
The soil health specialist is a member of a statewide Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources team responsible for providing leadership to create and deliver innovative learning experiences that empower North Dakotans to improve their lives and communities.
Description & Details: Soil health impacts a broad range of issues facing North Dakota and is a major initiative in the state.
The SNRS is seeking a qualified person to fill a 12-month, tenure track Assistant Professor position.
The appointment is 90% extension, 10% research.
This predominantly extension position is one of several extension and research appointments hired in the state to address soil health issues.
General duties include providing leadership for Extension programming in soil health, with emphasis on soil fertility, and providing Extension programming and research on soil fertility recommendations, tillage management, and cropping practices for North Dakota.
Develop extension programs utilizing a variety of delivery methods to reach intended audiences and that focus on education to improve soil health in the region.
Develop an innovative, collaborative research program in soil health.
Foster a spirit of open communication with stakeholder groups and serve as a liaison between these stakeholder groups and NDSU.
Develop educational materials individually and through a team approach with on and off-campus agricultural specialists, to be disseminated through educational meetings, in-depth training, publications, and new technologies as appropriate.
Develop mass media materials, including news releases; participate in radio and television programming, utilize social media, and interact with other media outlets on soil health related topics.
Actively participate in graduate student advising and mentoring.
Provide service to the school, college, university, and appropriate professional societies in the discipline.
About the School: NDSU has a vision to lead the advancement of our land-grant ideals through innovative education, research, and outreach.
Our current enrollment totals over 12,000 students, including nearly 2,000 graduate students, and we have almost 6,000 employees.
The SNRS is a multi-disciplinary unit exploring entomology, natural resources management, rangeland science, and soil science.
We work in collaboration to address research which improves the livelihoods of North Dakota citizens while also contributing to the scientific community.
Our faculty do both applied and fundamental research to address the needs of stakeholders in production agriculture and native systems, seeking common ground between the two.
Together, we are discovering and implementing solutions for healthy agriculture and natural resources.
SNRS has 23 full-time faculty members with diverse expertise.
We also have 19 research staff and strong administrative support.
Our undergraduate program serves approximately 100 students.
Various masters, PhD, and professional graduate programs serve almost 70 graduate students.
Facilities available to this position include a state-of-the-art greenhouse complex, laboratory space, and access to field research locations throughout North Dakota, including possible collaboration with seven Research Extension Centers.
Work Schedule: Full time 12-month appointment Advertised Salary: Commensurate with experience Minimum Qualifications: Ph.
D.
degree in soil science or closely related discipline at the time of hiring.
Excellent verbal, interpersonal, and written communication skills.
Demonstrated ability to develop an extension program focused on soil health.
Demonstrated ability to develop and conduct original research in the area of soil health.
Demonstrated experience in student mentoring and supervision.
History of project completion as evidenced by disseminating study results in leading academic journals and scientific conferences.
Demonstrated ability to work collegially and in a team environment with a diverse group of students, staff, faculty, and administrators.
Valid driver’s license Preferred Qualifications: Experience developing written extension-type articles/bulletins, including popular press articles, social media, and experience working with mass media.
Previous experience in interaction with farmers, farm commodity groups, agencies, land managers, and other stake-holders.
Demonstrated ability to coordinate and collaborate with other scientists within and across disciplines.
Demonstrated research experience at the graduate or post-graduate level in at least one of the following areas: salt-affected soils, cover crops, nutrient cycling, soil fertility, soil or crop management, soil genesis, cropping systems, with some background in soil microbiology, soil chemistry, geology, and soil physics.
Demonstrated ability to develop a competitive, extramurally funded extension and research program in soil health.
Evidence of involvement in developing innovative instructional techniques and delivery methods to farmers and/or land managers Applicant Materials Required: The position is open until filled.
Application materials must include: Cover letter addressing each of the minimum and preferred qualifications.
Curriculum Vitae.
An Extension plan (maximum 3 pages) addressing the applicant’s experience and extension philosophy which will allow them to establish a successful extension program at NDSU, ideas for existing or potential funding, and areas of potential collaboration.
A research philosophy (maximum 2 pages).
Three professional references with contact information.
Please direct questions or nominations to: Dr.
Christina Hargiss, SNRS Director | christina.
hargiss@ndsu.
edu Applicants must submit all materials through the NDSU Human Resources portal.
Benefits: NDSU offers a comprehensive benefits package which includes single or family health insurance coverage with premiums paid for by the university – with an effective date for new employees the first of the month following date of hire.
Other benefits include: wellness benefits, basic life insurance, retirement plan, tuition waiver, annual leave, EAP, sick leave and holiday pay.
Optional benefits include: supplemental life, dental, vision, long-term care insurance, flexible spending account, and supplemental retirement plans.
About Us: North Dakota State University is distinctive as a student focused, land-grant, research university.
We educate leaders who solve national and global challenges by providing affordable access to an excellent education that combines teaching and research in a rich learning environment.
NDSU is in the highest Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, R1, granted to the top research institutions in the country.
NDSU has offices across the state of North Dakota, and the main campus is in Fargo, on the Minnesota border.
Along with Moorhead, Minnesota, Fargo forms one of the largest metropolitan centers between Minneapolis and Seattle.
The community is consistently ranked as one of the best places to live.
No Smoking Notice: As an employer, the State of North Dakota prohibits smoking in all places of state employment in accordance with N.
D.
C.
C.
§ 23-12-10.
EO/AA Statement: North Dakota State University is an Equal Opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, gender expression/identity, genetic information, marital status, national origin, participation in lawful off-campus activity, physical or mental disability, pregnancy, public assistance status, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, spousal relationship to current employee, or veteran status, as applicable.
Diversity Statement: NDSU strives to be a community of belonging, recognizing unique differences as strengths of our university.
We seek to recruit and retain a diverse workforce that supports a community in which diverse populations and perspectives will know and learn from one another.
NDSU values candidates who are committed to our core values of respect, inclusivity, community, creativity, excellence, impact, innovation, integrity, resilience, responsiveness, and transformation.
Successful candidates will be committed to and help advance our strategic goal to create and maintain an open and respectful environment to promote inclusivity and diversity as a cornerstone of education, research, and outreach.
Veteran’s Preference Notice: This position is subject to North Dakota Veteran’s Preference requirements.
Reasonable Accommodation Information North Dakota State University is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities, education, and employment for individuals with disabilities.
To request disability accommodation in the application process, please contact Human Resources at 701-231-8961 or ndsu.
hr@ndsu.
edu.
Land Acknowledgement We collectively acknowledge that NDSU, a land grant institution, on the traditional lands of the Oceti Sakowin (Dakota, Lakota, Nakoda) and Anishinaabe Peoples in addition to many diverse Indigenous Peoples still connected to these lands.
We honor with gratitude Mother Earth and the Indigenous Peoples who have walked with her throughout generations.
We will continue to learn how to live in unity with Mother Earth and build strong, mutually beneficial, trusting relationships with Indigenous Peoples of our region.
(see www.
ndsu.
edu/inclusioncouncil/native_american_initiatives/).