Field Specialist in Nutrition and Health – Platte County, MO

About the role

MU TITLE: Assistant/Associate/Full Extension Professional
LOCATION: Kansas City, Missouri, and primarily serves Platte, Jackson, and Clay Counties in the Urban West Region, with additional service across the state as needed.

Specialist Emphasis

The Nutrition and Health Specialist is responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating educational programs in nutrition, health, community health, food safety, food resource management, and physical activity promotion education for Missourians. This position is responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating educational programs and services in Nutrition, Home, and Family. The Health & Human Sciences Extension program promotes optimal well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Nutrition and health education specialists improve dietary quality, increase physical activity, manage chronic diseases, and reduce overweight, obesity, and healthcare costs for Missourians.

CORE DUTIES OF MU EXTENSION SPECIALISTS

• Deliver the University of Missouri to all Missourians by bringing research-based solutions to work on local problems.
• Serve all Missourians by bringing research-based solutions to work on local problems.
• Design, conduct, and evaluate educational programs.
• Teach research-based information via meetings, in-person and online courses, continuing education classes, technical assistance, volunteer training, media, websites, consultation, and other educational methods.
• Provide educational programs that support the individual, organizational, and community goals of Missouri’s learners and clients.
• Develop innovative and research-informed educational products, services, materials, and other scholarly works.
• Obtain and use extramural funding to support creative works.
• Contribute to the scholarship of Extension and Engagement by evaluating programs that result in learning and behavior changes that impact individuals and communities.
• Engage with learners, stakeholders, volunteers, and communities, including county extension councils, government officials and agencies, partners, and University and professional organizations.
• Listen and respond with care.
• Foster engaged partnerships and robust connections to the wide array of programs offered by the whole University of Missouri System.

Professional Expectations

• Engage with councils, commissions, legislators, and stakeholders in all coverage counties to identify educational needs and then collaborate with appropriate internal and external partners to meet those needs.
• Create an annual plan-of-work that reflects local needs and aligns with statewide program area efforts.
• Provide a monthly report of impact to county extension council assigned, supervisors, county commissioners and others, regarding programmatic efforts.
• Attend at least one county extension council meeting each month and provide an oral update on program efforts.
• Collaborate with campus-based specialists on research projects and then deliver findings from those efforts via demonstrations, field days, courses, workshops, consultations, publications, and appropriate media.
• Work in collaboration with other specialist in counties of responsibility to serve the needs of the headquartered county, ensuring counties receive promotional materials in advance of programming.
• Demonstrate competency in communication, educational programming, subject matter knowledge, educational delivery, volunteer management, grant acquisition, teamwork, interpersonal relations, organization knowledge, leadership, and professionalism.
• Offer timely, research-based information during times of natural disasters or similar events.
• Represent the University of Missouri on boards and committees as assigned.
• Participate in professional development events to improve both technical and leadership skills.

Additional Expectations

• Engage with learners, clients, and stakeholders outside of normal business hours.
• Travel regularly throughout Missouri and occasionally to out-of-state locations.
• Have a valid Missouri driver’s license, a legally operating vehicle, and wireless telephone/data service for university use.
• Receive reimbursement for approved travel expenses, per University of Missouri policy.

Qualifications

• An earned PhD or master’s degree at time of appointment.
• Candidates Will Be Evaluated On Degree in nutrition, dietetics, health, exercise physiology, food science or related area with appropriate coursework exhibited.
• Demonstrated ability to translate research into educational programs in nutrition, health, food science, and physical activity promotion for audiences of all age groups is critical.
• Ideal candidates will also have successful experiences in youth and adult education.
• Successful administrative and leadership experience, particularly in managing fiscal, human, and data resources.
• Effective and innovative teaching strategies that engage others, including strong listening, written, and oral communication skills.
• The ability to integrate new and emerging technology into teaching strategies.
• Experience designing, conducting, and evaluating educational programs, and applying research-based knowledge in subject matter areas related to community cooperation and collaboration, capacity assessment and action planning, needs assessment, citizen participation, leadership, resource management, and volunteerism.

Anticipated Hiring Range

This position offers a minimum starting salary of $58,000, with the final salary determined based on the candidate’s qualifications and experience.

Application Materials

• Complete the brief online application.
• Be prepared to upload: Cover Letter, Resume/CV, Copies of all unofficial academic transcripts, and a list of 3-5 references.

Contact Information

• Contact MUHR@missouri.edu or call 573.882.7976 for questions regarding the online application process.
• Contact Helpdesk@missouri.edu or call 573.882.5000 for technical problems with the online application process.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To request ADA accommodations, please call the Director of Accessibility and ADA at 573-884-7278.