TheDepartment of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture at Oklahoma StateUniversity (OSU) invites applications for an 11-month, career-track Assistant ExtensionSpecialist position (100% Extension) in Consumer Horticulture. This positioncarries the expectation of excellence in Extension, commensurate with the landgrant mission of Oklahoma State University.

Position Description
This career-track position will focus on community, homeowner, andcommercial horticulture Extension programming and will provide directassistance to agriculture and natural resources Extension educators throughoutOklahoma. This position will provide horticultural programming and assistanceto Extension educators who serve all 77 Oklahoma counties. This position will developan innovative OSU Extension volunteer horticulture information center/program toeffectively respond to calls, emails, social media and internet-based inquiries,and “ask Extension” inquiries related to all horticultural topics. Thehorticulture information center/program will provide unbiased, research-basedinformation related to consumer horticulture topics and inquiries. Collaborationwith Master Gardener personnel and volunteers will be important. In summary,this position will work to develop an OSU Extension horticulture informationcenter/program to effectively respond to routine consumer horticultureinquiries, assist county Extension educators with horticulture related topics,and provide consumer horticulture in-service education and training for countyExtension educators.

The candidate will be expected to develop and document scholarshiprelated to the outcomes and impacts of their Extension program. They will beexpected to develop and disseminate OSU Extension resources, including peer-reviewedExtension publications. The candidate will update, reviseor create OSU Extension fact sheets and revise Extension educator handbooksections pertaining to consumer horticulture. The candidate will provideexpertise to county Extension educators and the public via phone calls, emails,letters, virtual and in-person, plus join county Extension educators with sitevisits as needed. The candidate will assist with coordination of consumerhorticulture workshops and/or field days. The candidate will assist withdeveloping independent segments and will appear as a guest on the OklahomaGardening television show covering consumer horticulture topics. The candidatewill write articles for the monthly Horticulture Tips email newsletter and willdeliver in-service horticulture Extension training. Creative use of tools suchas artificial intelligence and social media are encouraged.

The successful candidate willcontribute to the OSU community through service opportunities, such as periodicallyserving on Department, Division, and/or University committees. The candidatewill work cooperatively with OSU faculty and staff and serve as a member of theOSU consumer horticulture team. Regular engagement in professional developmentopportunities and activities will be expected as well as completion of allrequired Departmental, Division, and/or University level required annualtrainings. Within six months of hire, the candidate will be expected toobtain the state pesticide applicator certification in category 10(Demonstration and Research). This will allow the candidate to work with Extensioneducators and the public to teach proper pesticide selection, handling, mixing,loading, use, as well as proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Qualifications
Required: A Master’s degree inHorticulture, Crop Science, Agronomy, Plant Science or a closely relateddiscipline is required by the time of hire. A minimum of two years of relatedexperience in Cooperative Extension or the consumer horticulture industry,program management and/or leadership experience, formal or informal teachingexperience, and experience working with other Extension professionals,scientists, industry partners, and the public is required. The ability to usetraditional and innovative techniques for Extension program delivery is required.Demonstration of the ability to effectively lead a team as well as contributeas a team member is required.

Preferred: A PhD degree inHorticulture, Crop Science, Agronomy, Plant Science or a closely relateddiscipline is preferred. The PhD degree is required for consideration ofadvancement through the OSU Division of Agriculture and Natural Resourcescareer-track faculty promotion system. A minimum of five years of relatedexperience in Cooperative Extension or the consumer horticulture industry,program management and/or leadership experience, formal or informal teachingexperience, and experience working with other Extension professionals,scientists, industry partners, and the public is preferred. Experienceserving as a PI or co-PI of extramural, competitive grant projects, evidence ofExtension, research, and scholarly output; communication and leadership skills;and interpersonal skills is preferred.

Employment Conditions
Review of applications will begin April 1,2025. For full consideration, please submit all application materials beforeApril 1, 2025. Review of applications will continue until a suitable candidate isidentified. Salary and benefits are competitive and commensurate with education,training, and experience. There are lots of great reasons to workat OSU. Check out our competitive benefits and eligibility at https://hr.okstate.edu/prospective-ee.html.

The position is available July 1, 2025 or as soonthereafter the selected candidate is available. Candidates who will complete thedegree requirements for the Master’s degree by August 2025 are encouraged toapply.  Three years of funding iscommitted; continuation of employment is based upon need, performance andavailable funding.

About the Department
The Department of Horticultureand Landscape Architecture has23 faculty and has both undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Thedepartment operates The Botanic Garden at OSU, Oklahoma Gardening television show, the Greenhouse Learning Center, the Landscape ArchitectureStudio, the OSU Student Farm, and is active at several research sites throughthe Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station. For more information about thedepartment, go to:  https://agriculture.okstate.edu/departments-programs/hla/

Application Procedure
To apply, candidates should submit: (a) aletter of application describing how their academic preparation and experiencequalify them for this career track faculty position, including a discussion ofExtension related background, experience, and philosophy; (b) a curriculumvitae or resume; (c) official or unofficial graduate transcript (d) names andcontact information of three professional references. Questions may be directedto David Hillock, Chair of the Search Committee at david.hillock@okstate.edu or 405-744-5158.

Formal applications must besubmitted electronically to https://jobs.okstate.edu by searching for req19201.
To learn more about OSUAgriculture and Stillwater, visit these websites:
https://agriculture.okstate.edu
https://agresearch.okstate.edu
https://extension.okstate.edu
https://www.okstate.edu
https://www.visitstillwater.org
https://www.stillwaterchamber.org

Equal Employment Opportunity
Oklahoma State University, as anequal opportunity employer, complies with all applicable federal and state lawsregarding non-discrimination and affirmative action.  Oklahoma StateUniversity is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all individualsand does not discriminate based on race, religion, age, sex, color, nationalorigin, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression,disability, or veteran status with regard to employment, educational programsand activities, and/or admissions.  For more information, visit https:///eeo.okstate.edu.