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Water Quality Extension Associate Researcher 2, Ohio State University

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Job Title: Water Quality Extension Associate Researcher 2 Seneca County
Department: FAES | Agriculture and Natural Resources
This position is located in Seneca County.

Plan and provide educational programs and applied on-farm demonstrations on relevant local water quality issues that consider the agronomic productivity of the farm and mitigate environmental impacts of phosphorus and nitrogen nutrients, plus soil erosion that affect water quality at the edge of the field.

Work in cooperation with Extension Educator(s) in assigned region and Water Quality Team members in planning and implementing pro-active educational programs using innovative educational methods, both internally and externally, utilizing local and university sources. Evaluate programs to improve future design and educational outcomes.

Develop and manage a communication plan that utilizes traditional and social media to promote use of appropriate nutrient management technologies and BMPs, and to showcase current research knowledge.

Maintain a high level of visibility and facilitate communications with a wide range of clientele including urban audiences, traditional and non-traditional learners, elected officials, agricultural and non-agricultural stakeholders, and environmental and special interest groups to promote the understanding of agriculture and natural resource issues.

Develop an Extension program specialization in one aspect of water quality (i.e., nitrogen, phosphorus, organic nutrient utilization, or soil health).

Provide one-on-one consultation to farmers, consultants, seed and fertilizer dealers, agency professionals, and environmental professionals on the use of modern nutrient management practices including precision agriculture, modern N and P fertilizer placement options and equipment, and cover crops.
Work directly with individual farmers on evaluating and adopting new practices and technologies appropriate to local growing conditions. Provide advice on implementation of practices such as cover crops, drainage water management, buffer strip, and other nutrient trap practices. Relate production conservation information on nutrient drawdown in high soil test fields, soil compaction, soil health, controlled traffic in production field, and tillage practices including no-till and strip-till.

Refer clients to appropriate technical resources for design and cost share assistance. Attain a working knowledge of conservation cost share assistance programs available from NRCS and SWCD that incentivize practice adoption.
Maintain working knowledge of equipment cost-share opportunities, available cooperatively-owned equipment and retailer capabilities in their watersheds, and refer clients to those opportunities and resources.

Work with locally organized farmer-led watershed peer-learning groups where farmers can share experiences and develop projects related to the adoption of appropriate technologies for improving nutrient management practices based on the local situation. Where these groups do not exist, look to develop.

Demonstrate through cooperative on-farm visits and educational activities the ability of available agricultural technologies to improve crop production and reduce environmental impacts. These include but are not limited to aerial imaging, active soil sensing, remote sensing, variable nutrient rates based on production zones, and yield monitoring to create production and profitability zones. Utilize as-applied nutrient verification to document nutrient rates and placement with yield maps to document crop outcomes.

Demonstrate the benefits of BMPs to farmers and assist with implementation of BMPs in low productivity areas of fields to improve water quality and profitability. Collect farm production, and economic and water quality data in association with installed BMPs to develop ROI information and case studies on conservation practices for production and water quality outcomes. Work individually with farmers on identification of appropriate cost-effective Best Management Practices (BMPs) for use.

Assist farmers with making fertilizer recommendations utilizing tri-state nutrient recommendations. Generate cost return data for applying agronomic rates of manure in-season. Assist in the understanding of manure nutrient value and how it can be used to meet nutrient needs and soil health goals.

Utilize appropriate OSU developed decision tools and commercially available software in support of sharing research findings and educational activities. Publish data and project outcomes in eFields and peer-reviewed resources to make available BPM evidence more broadly available to farmers, practitioners, and technicians.

Position is located in designated county region but specializations brought to and attained while in the position will be used regionally to complement other Water Quality Team members and the broader OSU Extension mission.

Resume and cover letter, specific to the posting, are to be included at time of application, include months and years worked for each employment listed .

The annual pay range for this job profile is $52,345.00 — $68,780.00. The offer for this position will fall within this range based on internal equity, unit’s available budget, and the candidate’s qualifications.

Visas cannot be sponsored for this position. Must be able to start within 90 days.

Contact Information

OSU HR
hr-accessibleapplication@osu.edu

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