Climate Smart Agriculture Community Education Specialist 3 Fresno, CA, Job ID 76622

Position Overview

As part of a statewide cohort of Climate Smart Agriculture Specialists, the Community Education Specialist 3 (CES 3) will coordinate outreach and education efforts and provide technical assistance to increase farmer adoption of climate smart practices targeted at soil health, manure management, and water quality goals. In this role, you will work directly with farmers and ranchers by delivering one-on-one technical assistance, developing educational materials and presentations, and participating in program evaluation and strategic planning to bolster the adoption of innovative practices. This is a contract appointment that is 100% fixed through 6/30/2026 with the possibility of extension based on funding.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide direct one-on-one technical assistance, in partnership with local coalitions, to growers on irrigation and nutrient management reporting requirements established by the water boards.
• Conduct farm visits and meet with clientele individually to assist in meeting requirements.
• Develop and deliver effective methods to increase outreach and technical assistance to farmers and ranchers for Climate Smart grant programs.
• Maintain farmer contact lists and coordinate outreach through social media, newsletters, blogs, farm visits, and networking.
• Provide one-on-one technical assistance with quantification methodologies and applications to Climate Smart grant programs.
• Develop, prepare, amend, and reconcile project budgets with clientele.
• Provide extension support to farmers and ranchers in implementing new technologies and practices on farm.
• Assist scientists in evaluating new technologies and practices for potential inclusion in the grant-eligible practices list.
• Develop and design educational materials and plan presentations at workshops and meetings with clientele, partner organizations, regulatory agencies, and policy makers.
• Serve as a lead worker and subject matter expert on specialized climate smart agriculture topics to guide the development of educational content.
• Identify and develop effective methods to evaluate workshops.
• Collect and organize feedback from participants during workshops and farm visits.
• Participate in long-range planning and evaluation of outreach, extension, and training methods to promote new Climate Smart Agriculture practices.
• Assist the direct supervisor with research activities and data management.
• Participate in data collection for field research trials, document application and implementation assistance, manage databases and Excel records, track activities and expenses, and prepare reports, summaries, and case studies.

Required Qualifications

• Associate degree with coursework in plant science, entomology, plant pathology, soil science, irrigation, agroecology, agronomy, agricultural engineering, agricultural science, agricultural business, agricultural economics, food safety, community development, or a related field and/or equivalent experience/training.
• Proficiency with Windows-based computers and Microsoft Office applications.
• Experience teaching and working with a diverse adult audience.
• Strong skills in communicating in large groups, small groups, and one-on-one settings, including delivering presentations.
• Proven ability to write reports, complete applications, and develop correspondence.
• Strong working knowledge of agricultural practices.
• Understanding and the ability to communicate fundamentals of carbon sequestration in soils, climate smart compost and manure management practices, water and nutrient balance in soil systems, and healthy soils principles.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Strong time management skills with the ability to manage multiple project tasks.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree with relevant coursework in the fields listed above and/or equivalent experience/training.
• Bilingual communication/translation abilities in English and Spanish, Hmong, Mandarin, Vietnamese, or another language spoken in the community.

Benefits & Perks

• Reimbursement of job-related travel will be provided according to University policies.
• The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon the successful completion of a background check.
• This designated position requires a background check and may require fingerprinting due to the nature of the job responsibilities.