Horticulture Educator

Position Description

The agent in this position will have educational responsibilities in both home and consumer horticulture and commercial horticulture program areas in Haywood County. The successful candidate must be able to conduct educational programs focused on home and consumer horticulture for homeowners, including (but not limited to) best management practices needed in caring for lawns, gardens, and landscapes. The successful candidate must also be able to conduct educational programs focused on the profitability and sustainability of ornamental and nursery plant production, utilizing best practices and encouraging the adoption of proven technology, business, and financial practices. The successful candidate will also be responsible for training and supporting the Master Gardener program in Haywood County.

This position provides leadership for the development, implementation, and evaluation of an effective educational program to meet the needs in Haywood County for commercial and consumer horticulture. This position will require the ability to provide homeowners with diagnosis and recommendations for plant disease, insect, and other abiotic disorders of home lawn, garden, orchard, or other landscape plants. This position will also require the ability to assist with services related to plant/insect diagnostics, production recommendations, and other support services to commercial ornamental/nursery landscape plant production businesses. This position will be responsible for the recruitment, training, supervising, and managing of Haywood County Master Gardener volunteers during their contribution to Cooperative Extension programming in the county/state.

The agent will be expected to develop and market educational programs with measurable impacts and to collaborate with co-workers, other agencies, groups, Master Gardener Volunteers, community volunteers, and organizations in order to more effectively reach intended audiences throughout the counties.

Required Qualifications

One of the following educational requirements: – A Bachelor’s degree with a cumulative grade point average of 2.5 overall or a 3.0 (based on a 4.0 scale) in an agricultural or related field. The minimum GPA requirement will be waived for NCCE Program Associates with a Bachelor’s degree. – A Bachelor’s degree and the completion of at least one-half of coursework in a Master’s degree curriculum with a cumulative grade point average 3.0 or higher with at least one of the degrees in an agricultural or related field, or – Completion of a Master’s degree with at least one of the degrees in an agricultural or related field. Also required: a personal automobile; computer literacy; strong oral and written communication skills; the ability to plan, implement, market, and evaluate educational programs; willingness to work as a team member and support a total Extension program; and the ability to handle multiple demands and set priorities. Personal Attributes: Successful performance of the duties encompassed in the Extension Agent’s job requires that the individual possess habits of industry, a sense of responsibility, and a genuine appreciation for the worth of the individual. The employee must be adept in both oral and written communication. The Extension Agent is eligible to become a member of the non-tenure track/special faculty at North Carolina State University. The Extension Agent has primary responsibility for planning, executing, and evaluating that phase of Extension programs within assigned areas of program responsibility. The Extension Agent cooperates with colleagues in the North Carolina Cooperative Extension and leaders in performing assigned responsibilities. The performance of assigned responsibilities is governed by the philosophy, objectives, policies, and procedures of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension.