Aquatic Resources Extension Agent - Northwest & Northeast Regions

Extending knowledge, improving lives! Make an impact in your community and in the lives of Alabamians.

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) is seeking a self-motivated Aquatic Resources Extension Agent to serve a 19-county region. This role focuses on educating landowners, professionals, and the public on key aquatic resource topics, including farm pond management, watershed conservation, stormwater management, and drought preparedness.

Reasons you’ll love being an Extension Agent at ACES – Auburn:

• Job Satisfaction! Be a part of life-changing work in your community!
• Excellent full-time benefits that start on Day 1!
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance options!
• Work/life balance!
• 4 weeks of vacation accrued each year.
• 96 hours of sick leave accrued annually.
• 7 paid holidays in addition to 2 weeks of paid leave during Christmas/New Years when the University closes.
• 6 weeks of paid parental leave for the birth or adoption of a child (available for BOTH moms & dads).
• AU tuition assistance for you and your dependents after a year of service.
• Generous state retirement plan along with other voluntary retirement plan options and benefits.
• Fun, flexible & diverse work environment. Every day is different!
• Supportive leadership & peers. The ACES team supports you and your work!

Program Priority Area: Aquatic Resources (AQR)

The Agent will be housed in Fayette, Alabama.

Geographic Area of Responsibility: Lauderdale, Colbert, Limestone, Franklin, Marion, Lamar, Fayette, Winston, Walker, Lawrence, Morgan, Madison, Jackson, Marshall, DeKalb, Cullman, Blount, Etowah, and Cherokee

Responsibilities include responding to inquiries, developing educational programs, and delivering outreach through workshops, publications, and online resources. The agent will also collaborate with a statewide Extension team to plan, promote, and implement priority programs.

The EA will use emerging technologies and traditional methods such as newsletters, news articles, workshops, demonstrations, and site visits to educate and engage stakeholders. Responsibilities include writing grants, supporting applied research and demonstrations, and collaborating with regional and state aquatic resource associations to establish a strong educational presence. Additionally, the EA will assist team leaders and administrators with project outcome assessments and impact evaluations.

Team Description: Extension Agent’s (EA’s), Urban Extension Agent’s (UEA’s), County Extension Directors (CEDs), and Specialists form the core of Extension teams. This EA will participate as a cohesive team member working with local clientele, advisory groups, volunteers, and other interested parties to determine regional needs for program outreach. As a team member, the EA will partner with other EA’s and CEDs to provide educational leadership in planning, implementing, evaluating, and reporting programs conducted in the region.

The primary role of an Extension Agent is to provide programmatic leadership in a subject-matter discipline.

Program Leadership:
1. Cooperates and informs internal stakeholders and has a positive working relationship with staff and clients in assigned geographical and subject-matter area.
2. Conducts and analyzes needs assessment results.
3. Participates and contributes to the development of the Priority Program Team (PPT) plan-of-work and develops an individual plan-of-work involving other Extension Agents and County Extension Directors.
4. Offers comprehensive disciplinary programming to support transformational change and participates in interdisciplinary programming.
5. Functions as an effective educator using innovative and creative approaches and demonstrates outstanding written and oral communication skills.
6. Conducts program evaluations to reach plan-of-work objectives and impacts have a positive effect in assigned area.
7. Submits well prepared and timely reports and shares results with stakeholders and partners.

Program Management:
1. Budgets and manages fiscal resources within ACES policies and guidelines and serves as a good steward of all resources.
2. Builds relationships with volunteers and partners; recruits and manages volunteers within ACES policy, and trains new volunteers.
3. Secures extramural funding (grants, contracts, donations, sponsorships, programming fees, etc.) to support and expand programming.
4. Provides supervision and/or program support for staff/volunteers where appropriate.
5. Identifies innovative ways to engage targeted under-served and under-represented audiences.

Public Relations:
1. Provides subject-matter support to local and regional stakeholders and organizes new networks or coalitions to build community capacity.
2. Establishes relationships with stakeholder organizations, participates in stakeholder organizational programming, and serves as ACES primary subject-matter representative.
3. Establishes media contacts and actively uses multiple media outlets.
4. Serves as a positive role model for the organization, establishes positive relationships, and contributes to the mission and goals of ACES.
5. Supports the mission and goals of ACES; knows resources available at parent institutions, fosters teamwork, and interacts professionally and collegially.
6. Fosters a positive culture within the organization and through mission implementation and provides positive professional leadership to stakeholders and peers.

Extension Scholarship:
1. Provides input into new programs and utilizes research-based curriculum and resources.
2. Recognized as a subject-matter resource through authorship of routine Extension products.
3. Develops credibility as a disciplinary expert in assigned area.
Professional Development:
1. Participates in in-service training and develops personal professional development goals and objectives to grow in subject-matter area.
2. Participates in appropriate professional organizations and may complete appropriate professional certificates.
3. Meets competency expectations and standards of PPT.

Level 1: Bachelor’s degree and 0 years of experience.
Level 2: Bachelor’s degree and 4 years of experience or Master’s degree and 2 years of experience.
Level 3: Bachelor’s degree and 8 years of experience or Master’s degree and 6 years of experience.
Level 4: Bachelor’s degree and 12 years of experience or Master’s degree and 10 years of experience.

Focus of Education: Discipline related to extension programming.

Focus of Experience: Experience implementing, managing, or delivering educational programs in a relevant discipline, including formal and/or informal teaching methods.

This position requires regular travel to carry out Extension responsibilities, and the successful incumbent must have access to reliable transportation.

Desired Qualifications:

1. A Bachelor’s degree in Fisheries, Aquatic Sciences, Aquaculture, Aquatic Biology, Environmental Sciences, or related field WITH at least two years of relevant work experience is preferred.
2. A Master’s degree is preferred.

• Life-Changing Impact: Our work changes lives through research, instruction, and outreach, making a lasting impact on our students, our communities, and the world.
• Culture of Excellence:We are committed to leveraging our strengths, resources, collaboration, and innovation as a top employer in higher education.
• We’re Here for You:Auburn offers generous benefits, educational opportunities, and a culture of support and work/life balance.
• Sweet Home Alabama:The Auburn/Opelika area offers southern charm, vibrant downtown scenes, top-ranked schools, and easy access to Atlanta, Birmingham, and the Gulf of Mexico beaches.
• A Place for Everyone: Auburn is committed to fostering an environment where all faculty, staff, and students are welcomed, valued, respected, and engaged.
• Ready to lead and shape the future of higher education? Apply today! War Eagle!