Work Location: The extension office is in Raceland, Louisiana. The area to be served is Lafourche Parish, which is in southern Louisiana with a population of approximately 97,600 residents. The parish has 31 schools (public and private) with 33 schools, community, and project clubs engaging approximately 800 4-H members and approximately 1,000 reached through enrichment efforts (pre pandemic data). The parish has a potential youth audience of 14,000. The program works with approximately 200 adult and youth volunteers in organizational leader and other roles that help coordinate and support the 4-H club program. The goals of the 4-H Youth Development Program include increasing youth leadership development and community service learning; strengthening the partnership between 4-H and formal education; and expanding volunteer involvement to increase contact hours per youth. Agricultural commodities in the parish include sugarcane and cattle.
Position Description: The LSU AgCenter is actively seeking applicants who can contribute to such an environment through their scholarship, teaching, mentoring, and professional service.
The LSU AgCenter Lafourche Parish Office seeks a 4-H Agent to lead the parish-wide 4-H youth development program. You must demonstrate the ability to work effectively with culturally, ethnically, and socioeconomically diverse audiences. Applicant must have abilities to build and maintain effective working relationships with 4-H adult volunteers, the Lafourche Parish 4-H Advisory Committee, community-based and grassroots organizations, and peers in the LSU AgCenter organization. You will also provide strong leadership in the development of the adult volunteer system and youth-focused life skills educational content that is engaging and relevant to the audience. You will be part of a team that works together in support of initiatives designed to promote and support agriculture and strong families.
As a LSU AgCenter faculty member, you will also: work with agencies and organizations to assist or lead cooperative and interdisciplinary projects, both in the parish and through multi-parish efforts; provide service to schools outside of 4-H programming; develop creative works in support of programming, including presentations, professional posters, and web-based education; write scholarly publications related to the field of expertise; and participate in professional associations and service activities for the LSU AgCenter. You will document efforts through an annual plan of work (POW) and report of accomplishment. For those being hired as an Assistant/Associate agent you will be expected to attain promotion and tenure per LSU AgCenter guidelines.
What you will do:
Desired Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
Qualification Requirements: A baccalaureate degree in education, vocational education, agricultural sciences, family, and consumer sciences/human ecology, biological or social sciences, recreation and leisure studies or closely related areas. Must have an undergraduate degree with an overall grade-point average of at least 2.5 (all GPA requirements based on a 4.0 system) and a 3.0 for graduate work attempted, if any, or master’s degree with an overall grade-point average of at least 3.0 or a current grade-point average of at least 3.0 on at least 12 hours of graduate credit. The applicant must demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills. A Master's degree in a field listed above is desired. Experience in recruiting, training and supervising volunteers and experience in teaching and applying principles of leadership development to both youth and adults is also desired. Knowledge of public relations and the ability to cope with change are highly desirable characteristics. Ability to work with and through others is essential as is the ability to function with minimum supervision.
Salary and Benefits: Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. The LSU AgCenter has an attractive benefits package with a wide variety of benefit options. Benefits offered include retirement, multiple medical insurance options, supplemental insurances (dental, life, long-term disability, accident, vision, long-term care, etc.), Tax Saver Flexible Benefits Plan (saves tax dollars on some child care and medical expenses), university holidays (14 per year, typically includes a week off at Christmas), generous annual (vacation) and sick leave benefits, Employee Assistance Program, and possible educational leave and tuition exemption for coursework at campuses of the LSU System. Specific benefits depend on job category, percent effort and length of employment.
Conditions of Employment: A personal automobile and appropriate insurance coverage is required (travel allowance provided). Satisfactory completion of two specific graduate level extension courses is generally required in the first two years of employment. Additionally, a faculty member who does not have a related master’s degree must complete a minimum of 15 hours of related graduate level coursework, which includes the two graduate courses referenced above, in order to be promoted to associate agent and such promotion must occur in the first seven years of employment.
Date Available: Upon completion of the selection process
Application Deadline: November 29, 2024 or until a suitable candidate is identified
Application Procedure: Qualified candidates must apply online at LSU AgCenter Careers (or through Workday for internal applicants) by attaching file(s) containing a curriculum vita, a letter of application, official university transcripts, and two letters of reference. Questions about the online application system should be directed to the HRM Office at 225/578-0324. (Paper, faxed, or emailed application materials will not be accepted.) In lieu of attaching the letters of reference, they may be sent directly to:
Lanette Hebert,
Southwest Region 4-H Coordinator
1373 Caffey Road
Rayne, LA 70578
Email: lghebert@agcenter.lsu.edu
Phone: 337-788-7547
Web site: AgCenter website
The Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and applications will be accepted without regard to race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability. Information on Equal Employment can be obtained from the EEO and Civil Rights Coordinator, 103 J. Norman Efferson Hall, LSU AgCenter, Baton Rouge, LA 70803. Phone 225.578.2258. It is the policy of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service to employ only United States citizens or aliens lawfully authorized to work in the United States.
The LSU Agricultural Center is a statewide campus of the LSU System and provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. An Equal Opportunity Employer.