Employment Opportunities

Objective

The Watershed Program Manager provides management, organization, and technical assistance support for developing and implementing watershed-based projects aligning with ISA (Iowa Soybean Association) and RCFI (Research Center for Farming Innovation) strategic values and priorities.

Essential Functions

• Provide management and technical assistance to the development and implementation of local and regional watershed management planning efforts, including the following:
  • Execute the deliverables of assigned watershed planning, watershed project monitoring, and local/regional projects
  • Develop and prepare watershed management plans, following a multi-step watershed planning process
  • Conduct active farmer and stakeholder engagement resulting in place-based geocentric project plans and implementation programs
  • Assess and analyze land use, land and water management, and resource condition using geographic information systems (GIS) based soil and water resource management tools, models, and planning frameworks
  • Develop effective watershed-based soil and water resource management programming and working relationships with partners to advance agricultural productivity and environmental outcomes
  • Design and support implementation of watershed-based water monitoring
  • Work with sponsoring and partner organizations including government agencies, watershed partnerships, collaborators, and local advisory committees
• Provide GIS support to ISA RCFI staff including but not limited to general mapping needs, multiple criteria decision analysis, hydrology, soil loss, and agronomic cropping system modeling
• Provide assistance and support on the application of geospatial information systems and database systems for watershed management
• Coordinate with the Conservation Program Lead to discuss and review project status, deliverables, workload, assignments, program finances, and integration
• Coordinate with other ISA departments and staff aligning work involving soil, water and cropping system monitoring, research, and evaluation
• Participate and assist with educational programming, outreach, communications, and marketing
• Prepare quarterly and annual reports tracking key performance indicators, successes, challenges, and milestones toward meeting the goals and objectives for designated projects and watershed improvement plans
• Develop and provide input to budgets, project proposals, grant proposals, implementation programming and other tasks as needed
• Embrace and emulate the culture of ISA

Competencies

• Prioritizing work
• Financial management
• Demonstrate initiative
• Relationship building
• Collaboration skills
• Exceptional customer service
• Evaluating and implementing ideas
• Communicating effectively

Travel

This position requires up to 40% travel, typically in Iowa. Travel is frequently outside the local area and may be overnight.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position has no supervisory responsibility.

Required Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in agronomy, environmental science, agricultural engineering, or a similar ag or natural resources/sciences major or related field in agriculture and natural resources
• 3 or more years of experience working in an agricultural or environmental related field Understanding of:
  • Midwest row crop agriculture, agricultural conservation practices, and the agricultural industry
  • Practical application of agronomy and environmental science
  • Computer technologies including data storage, statistical software, GIS, and monitoring equipment interfaces
  • Expertise in watershed planning, water quality monitoring, and natural resource management
  • Capable of working in a team environment while often working independently to achieve specific project deliverables.

Preferred Education and Experience

• Master's degree or higher in environmental science, water resources, agronomy, agricultural engineering, planning, geography, or a related agricultural or natural resources/science major
• 5-7 years of professional experience in agricultural or environmental related field
• Demonstrated experience in technical writing, public speaking, grant writing, meeting facilitation
• Strong understanding of:
  • Agricultural research
  • Analytics, advanced GIS analysis, and environmental modeling
  • Watershed planning
  • Water quality monitoring

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

Work Environment

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets, and fax machines.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental and Vision insurance
• Flexible Spending Account available
• Cellphone and Wellness reimbursement
• Onsite Fitness Center 401(k) with generous company match
• Tuition reimbursement program
• Dress for your Day Dress Code

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Objective

To assist the ISA Research Center for Farming Innovation with Conservation Team programs and projects. The employee will be expected to collect water quality, soil, and plant samples; conduct crop scouting and support geospatial analysis; process and organize data; and assist with data analysis. The data and information will be used to help ISA improve the productivity and sustainability of crop production in Iowa.

Essential Functions

• Assist Regional and Conservation Agronomists in execution of on-farm research and conservation implementation projects.
• Assist ISA Research on water sample collection throughout the state. Includes taking samples at defined locations and collecting samples that are dropped off at collection points.
• Interact with farmers in a professional manner to execute experiments and data collection.
• Collect soil and plant samples from farm fields.
• Ability to take direction and work independently
• Ability to enter and work with data collected using commonly used tools (Excel, Word, etc.).
• With proper training, conduct crop scouting and use aerial imagery for pests, disease, and different stresses.
• Participate in research discussions and planning meetings.
• Assist in other ISA Research program areas as needed.

Competencies

• Basic understanding of crop production and conservation systems.
• Data collection and management
• Demonstrated initiative
• Attentive listening
• Detailed record keeping
• Oral and written communication

Travel

This position requires frequent travel. Travel will be within Iowa using company vehicles and will normally be completed within normal business hours.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position has no supervisory responsibility.

Required Education and Experience

• Ability to work efficiently on individual and team projects
• Strong writing and oral communication skills
• High level familiarity with farming practices, agricultural conservation, and water quality
• Undergraduate degree (AA/S or BA/S), in progress or completed, with a focus in agriculture or environmental science

Preferred Education and Experience

• Experience in agronomy or environmental science and field data collection and analysis preferred or comparable experience within agriculture.
• Experience conducting or assisting in research trials.
• Understanding of production agriculture and agricultural conservation practices preferred.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to manipulate objects, tools or controls; reach with hands and arms; climb stairs; balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl; talk or hear; taste or smell. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.

Work Environment

This job operates in a professional office environment and field settings. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines. Much of the work will be outside in farm fields and other outdoor settings and may occasionally involve inclement weather. In some cases, the employee will be around large tractors and other agricultural equipment.

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