Location: Indiana

Application Deadline: October 18, 2024

Anticipated Start Date: October/November 2024

Description:

Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever in partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Indiana Soybean Alliance seek a talented individual to serve as our partnership’s Precision Agriculture/Education & Outreach Specialist (PAS) in The Hoosier State. The PAS will work to increase awareness and understanding to a diverse audience of how data-driven, targeted, on-farm conservation activities can increase profitability and sustainability through improved conservation stewardship on agricultural operations. The PAS will work closely with a wide range of farmers, ag industry professionals, retailers, and cooperatives to help producers achieve multiple habitat conservation objectives through decision making based on precision agriculture information and sub-field economics. This effort will provide an opportunity to identify where conservation adoption can make agriculture operations more profitable and make significant contributions to the conservation of quail, pollinators and other wildlife throughout Indiana. The PAS will be a Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever employee and will be required to maintain a home-based office with the potential for office space at various locations throughout Indiana. Travel throughout Indiana will be required, with a mileage reimbursement and stipend for personal vehicle use. The PAS will spend significant time in the field working with farmers, agriculture industry professionals, various partners and the public.

Essential Job Duties:

• Promote the common goals of improving farm economics and environmental sustainability using available technology and decision-making software to implement conservation
• Develop, coordinate and conduct education and outreach events and activities to promote conservation opportunities to increase farmer awareness and comprehension regarding on-farm conservation and natural resources management.
• Develop, coordinate and conduct education and outreach events and activities to inform various non-farming audiences on how precision agriculture and habitat conservation work together to provide agricultural as well as environmental sustainability.
• Increase the scale and/or rate of conservation practice delivery and adoption by farmers through a Return On Investment (ROI) and/or profit/acre-based
• Understand and relay how use of agricultural economic information and benefits of precision agriculture data can be used to develop conservation alternatives on agricultural
• Possess a working knowledge of data collection and management software and platforms to conduct and interpret analyses of precision data and economic inputs to calculate ROI/profitability on a sub-field
• Develop opportunities to enhance connections of farmers/farm groups with conservation professionals and agencies such as NRCS, Soil Conservation Districts, and Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever Farm Bill
• Increase coordination and efficiency in implementing conservation programs by fostering trust and credibility among Indiana farmers and the agriculture
• Participate on national Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Precision ag and conservation solutions team.
• Work with local Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever chapters and utilize their local networks to elevate precision agriculture and conservation in their

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Demonstrated experience as a leader with strong
• Excellent oral and written communication, coordination, and organizational
• Strong customer relation and interpersonal skills; ability to communicate effectively, and excellent attention to
• Self-motivated and ability to work independently and with diverse
• Demonstrated knowledge of modern farm equipment and techniques, technology, and agronomic and conservation practices common to
• Ability to relate to farmers and farmer-led organizations, agribusiness, non-farm audiences, conservationists and
• Ability to organize, develop, and implement educational and outreach activities, including workshops and seminars. Must be comfortable with public
• Knowledge of conservation program offerings, including USDA Farm Bill Programs, as well as state and local programs, is highly desired.
• Demonstrated experience successfully partnering with farmers, ag industry, conservation agencies, University Extension, etc. is
• A strong passion for the outdoors, agriculture, and
• Ability to travel frequently within Indiana and outside the state to attend professional meetings/ conferences.
• Valid driver’s license required; Use of personal vehicle required (mileage reimbursement provided); Home office required (Computer, printer, and general office supplies provided).

Education and Experience Guideline:

Applicants should possess a minimum of a Bachelor of Science degree (or 2-year degree with equivalent experience) in Agriculture, Agronomy, Ag Systems Technology, Ag Business, or a Natural Resources field with relevant agricultural experience. Direct experience working on a farm operation is strongly preferred. A passion for agriculture, the outdoors, habitat conservation, water quality, wildlife and working directly with farmers and other ag and conservation professionals is highly desired. Applicants should demonstrate extensive knowledge of agriculture, agronomy and precision agriculture management techniques, principles, goals, and objectives.

Salary Information: Salary range is $55,000 to $61,000 commensurate with experience; plus benefits.