Program Extension Agent I – III – Florida Sea Grant
APPLY NOWJOB NO:498258
WORK TYPE:Faculty Full-Time
LOCATION:Dade
CATEGORIES:Agriculture/Life Science/Vet Medicine
DEPARTMENT:60355013 – AG-MIAMI-DADE
CLASSIFICATION TITLE:
Prg Ext Agent I – III
JOB DESCRIPTION:
University of Florida/IFAS Extension and Miami-Dade County seek to fill a 12-month, full-time non-permanent status accruing Florida Sea Grant Program Agent position based in Miami-Dade County. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing, implementing, evaluating, and reporting on a comprehensive marine science program in cooperation with county and state extension colleagues and local citizens. Programs will emphasize environmental stewardship, long-term economic development, and responsible use of coastal and ocean resources. This position is located at the UF/IFAS Extension Sea Grant Office on Virginia Key at the Univ. of Miami Campus of the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.
Miami-Dade County is facing continuing challenges associated with a highly urbanized environment adjacent to economically and environmentally important marine and coastal ecosystems. The county is also facing growing challenges associated with sea level rise and salt water intrusion. The programmatic vision for the agent in this position is to work cooperatively with researchers, policy makers and resource users in Miami-Dade County to improve access to and responsible use of marine and coastal resources and to address community resiliency.
Duties and Responsibilities
Work with the private sector to conduct extension programs that support both economic growth and environmental sustainability. Programs developed will likely be centered on sustainable fisheries, marine ecosystem restoration and environmentally responsible marine industries.
Develop educational programming for marine resource users, scientists and county, state, and federal regulatory agencies for the purpose of improving the co-management of marine resources by the various stakeholders.
Deliver educational programs using a wide variety of approaches (e.g., workshops, conferences, publications, and electronic media).
Collaborate with UF/IFAS Florida Sea Grant Extension faculty in surrounding counties and UF state extension specialists to plan and develop extension education programs.
Provide educational information to individuals and businesses concerning marine uses, environmental protection, water quality, climate change issues, and resource management.
Participate in regional task force committees and university service.
Participate in collaborative practical and applied research projects associated with his/her area of expertise.
Provide regional contributions to UF/IFAS Florida Sea Grant and other extension agents regarding marine education programs. These contributions include aligning programs with the UF/IFAS Extension Roadmap and participating on at least one Florida Sea Grant work action group (https://www.flseagrant.org/program-areas/).
Establish and maintain an effective advisory committee to assist with program development and implementation.
Establish a system for accountability and public information to all relevant individuals, groups, organizations and agencies.
Accept other duties as assigned or determined to be relevant to marine extension education programs by the County Extension Director and the District Extension Director including related 4-H Youth Development programs and priority statewide extension initiatives.
Other information
Miami-Dade County (http://miamidade.gov/wps/portal) is located on the southern tip of the Florida peninsula. It is one of the largest and most diverse metropolitan areas in the country. With a population of more than 2.7 million, this highly urbanized environment abuts two national parks. Biscayne Bay, a large, shallow subtropical estuary extending approximately 55 miles along the east coast, is ecologically and economically essential to the surrounding area. Due to its clean water, pristine beaches, and unparalleled boating and fishing, the Bay also fuels a booming “clean water economy.” Biscayne Bay supports extensive seagrass habitat, hard-bottom assemblages, coral reefs, economically vital fisheries, and a variety of endangered and threatened species, all of which contribute to a vital tourism industry. In 2013, more than 80% of the 14 million overnight visitors to Miami visited the beaches and/or participated in watersports and other water-based activities. Biscayne Bay-related recreation activities contributed more than 10% to the total Miami economy, accounting for more than $12 billion and more than 130,000 jobs. The Bay also serves both as a vista and route for the coastal commercial and residential waterfronts. Residential development along the Bay includes some of the most expensive real estate in the nation, and coastal properties rely on a healthy, picturesque seascape for sustained property values, which in turn serve as an essential tax revenue base for countywide operations.
Florida Sea Grant is a university-based program that supports research, education and extension to conserve coastal resources and enhance economic opportunities for the people of Florida. Our extension, education and outreach programs are done in partnership with UF/IFAS Extension and coastal counties of Florida. For more about Florida Sea Grant, please see https://www.flseagrant.org/ .
FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY: Extension programming in Miami-Dade County is a cooperative arrangement between the County and UF/IFAS. As such, both partners are involved in the supervision of the office and contribute to the salary and support resources. The primary goal of Extension is to disseminate the latest knowledge and applicable technologies in agriculture, human and natural resources, and the life sciences in order to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. The UF/IFAS mission is accomplished through extension faculty members, scientists, educators, administrative staff, and volunteers working cohesively throughout Florida’s 67 counties. For more about UF/IFAS Extension, please seehttp://solutionsforyourlife.ufl.edu/about/ .
The main Extension Office is located in Homestead (http://miami-dade.ifas.ufl.edu/) about 1 mile from the UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center (http://trec.ifas.ufl.edu/). There are also four satellite Extension offices in Hialeah, Palmetto Bay and on University of Miami campus on Virginia Key.
Candidates will be reviewed as applications are received, but please be aware that interviews might not be scheduled until 4 to 6 weeks after the position closing date.
ADVERTISED SALARY:
Commensurate with Education and Experience
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
A bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in marine or fisheries sciences or a related field is required. The successful candidate will have a strong commitment to education. Other requirements include excellent communication skills (oral, written, and listening), computer and social media competency, ability to organize and motivate people, and good teamwork skills. The agent must have ability to work effectively with a diverse audience including minority groups, community leaders, media, and the general public. The ability to work with community organizations, agencies, and their leaders to develop collaborative programming is necessary.
The agent must be willing to work irregular hours, evenings and weekends. Occasional overnight travel is required, as well as travel with personal transportation. Upon employment, the successful candidate must be able to obtain and maintain a valid Florida driver’s license. Prior to appointment, the successful candidate must pass a Miami-Dade County physical, drug screening and background check.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
A master’s or PhD degree is preferred. Coursework and practical experience in marine science is preferred. Practical experience in extension education as well as working with diverse volunteers, youth and parents will be beneficial. Experience working in multicultural settings and coursework/training on multicultural topics are highly desirable.
SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO APPLICANTS:
Apply through the online UF application system at http://explore.jobs.ufl.edu/cw/en-us/job/498258 , and attach your Resume or CV, as well as a cover letter that describes how your experience and qualifications have prepared you for this position.
TO COMPLETE YOUR APPLICATION, PLEASE SUBMIT THE FOLLOWING:
You must submit unofficial copies of all transcripts and/or coursework of your academic degrees. You may attach these as an “other” document, or you may submit to our office as directed below. An unofficial copy is acceptable for the application process, but before you can be hired, IFAS Human Resources must have the official transcript for your highest degree on file.
Also, all applicants must have at least three reference rating forms on file. Reference forms must be less than one year old. If you have not already done so, please contact your professional/academic references and ask that they complete a reference rating form on your behalf. The form is located athttp://personnel.ifas.ufl.edu/ref_form.pdf .
Please also complete and submit the Previous Employment Form (located athttp://personnel.ifas.ufl.edu/prev_employment.pdf ).
With the exception of official transcripts, all items submitted by mail must be postmarked no later than the next business day after the position closing date. All documents submitted by fax or email must be received no later than the next business day. If your official transcripts will arrive after the closing date, you must also submit unofficial transcripts by the deadline.
Requested reference forms and transcripts should be submitted to:
Ms. Dana LeCuyer
UF IFAS Human Resources
Faculty Recruitment and Hiring
P O Box 110281
Gainesville, FL 32611-0281
dlecuyer@ufl.edu
Fax: (352) 392-3226
Final candidate will be required to provide official transcript to the hiring department upon hire. A transcript will not be considered “official” if a designation of “Issued to Student” is visible. Degrees earned from an education institution outside of the United States are required to be evaluated by a professional credentialing service provider approved by National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), which can be found at http://www.naces.org/ .
The University of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Institution dedicated to building a broadly diverse and inclusive faculty and staff. The selection process will be conducted in accord with the provisions of Florida’s ‘Government in the Sunshine’ and Public Records Laws. Persons with disabilities have the right to request and receive reasonable accommodation.
HEALTH ASSESSMENT REQUIRED:
Yes
ADVERTISED:
01 Aug 2016
Eastern Standard Time
APPLICATIONS CLOSE:
26 Aug 2016
Eastern Standard Time