Working/Functional Title

Saginaw Chippewa FRTEP Program Educator

Position Summary

As part of MSU Extension (MSUE) and the Community, Food and Environment Institute (CFEI), this position will be part of the Community Food System’s work team and will provide educational activities to youth and adult audiences to enhance local food development efforts with the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe. This position will collaborate across work teams, Institutes, and community groups, working with faculty, specialists, and educators for overall advancement of the needs of the targeted Saginaw Chippewa Indian Community clientele.

In this position, you will seek to enhance the food sovereignty goals of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe. Working with their 1994 Tribal Land Grant College, you will identify, design, implement, and evaluate research-based and culturally appropriate educational programs that deepen tribal member convictions for healthy, local, and culturally meaningful foods, strengthen local food production, enhance tribal youth/young-adult knowledge and engagement through local foods, enhance access to and usage of local tribal foods, and build the local tribal food economy. These goals meet current and projected outreach needs related to the Sovereign Equity Fund that is sponsoring this position.

Through your leadership, you will conduct tribal youth education outreach activities that focus on healthy local food production, while highlighting indigenous foods and promoting STEM education with the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal Charter School. You will design, adapt, and provide youth food systems engagement and education experiential trainings, toolkits, and other supportive training and education materials on food production, including indigenous and culturally appropriate foods, health foods, health and nutrition, and food system career opportunities. Working in collaboration with the MSU Product Center, you will deliver workshops to support value-added tribal food entrepreneurialism, and you will also design, adapt, and provide tribal farmer support outreach activities, toolkits, and other supportive training and education materials to address the needs of current and emerging tribal farmers.

Through collaboration in research, engagement with community members, and dissemination of research-based information through various methods, including in-person and multimedia programming and written communications, you will explore and implement programs that lead to public knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors that focus on healthy local food production that highlight indigenous foods while promoting STEM education. You will seek intergenerational tribal educational experiences related to healthy, indigenous local food production and you will also develop, produce, and deliver local food system outreach and education materials for adult tribal audiences in cooperation with tribal governmental units with messaging and content that is accessible and inclusive and is consistent with the FRTEP grant and the Community, Food and Environment Institute messaging.

Your work will include close collaboration with colleagues at MSU, MSU Extension, the MSU Product Center, as well as the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College and Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe Community departments. You will collaborate and be an active participant of CFEI’s Community Food Systems workgroup and connect with the MILES program. In consultation with these tribal partners, you will evaluate the outcomes and impact of programmatic activities and make data-driven decisions about adapting programming.

Although negotiable, there will be space available for this position to work from the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College Land Grant Offices, in Mt Pleasant, Michigan.

This position may be eligible to utilize a flexible work environment, however, there is an expectation to work from the Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College. The needs, responsibilities, and opportunities of an individual’s position and office location drive the ability and amount of work-location flexibility.

This position is a full-time, fixed term end-dated appointment, renewable annually based upon successful performance and continued funding. Position is dependent on continued funding of FRTEP program with current funding until March 2027.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability or protected veteran status.

Required Degree

Bachelors -Agriculture, local foods, youth STEM education, or related field

Desired Degree

Masters -Agriculture, local foods, youth STEM education, or related field

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in a field of study related to agriculture, local foods, youth STEM education, or related field must be earned by date of hire, with an expectation to complete a Master's degree within a specified time frame as discussed with the hiring manager prior to employment; or Master’s degree from an accredited institution in a field of study related to agriculture, local foods, youth STEM education, or related field must be earned by date of hire.  
• Previous knowledge, experiences and familiarity working with tribal cultures, traditions, and audiences.
• Demonstrated ability and skill in educational program planning, implementation, and evaluation.
• Demonstrated success in program development and delivery to diverse audiences/communities, and proven ability in establishing and working with a diverse network of constituents and community members across race, color, gender, national origin, gender identity, religion, age, height, weight, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, veteran status, socioeconomic class, and other differences.
• Ability to demonstrate sensitivity, knowledge, and use of appropriate approaches, skills, and techniques, which reflect an understanding and awareness of social, cultural, and economic diversity of the target population served.
• Ability to create and carry out a project plan from research of initial concept to project completion and follow-up.
• Strong interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.
• Experience and proven ability working productively with a team serving in both leadership and contributor roles.
• Self-motivated with demonstrated ability to work independently in an office environment without daily supervision and/or coaching.
• Proficiency in use of technology (e.g., web research, Zoom, Qualtrics, Microsoft Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook for mail/calendaring, distance technology, etc.) for day-to-day work and educational program delivery, record keeping, reporting, team-based communications, and overall management.
• Ability to travel in local and surrounding communities, and occasional long-distance travel are required as a regular part of this position.
• Ability to lift and carry educational materials, equipment, etc. up to 25 lbs.
• Transportation is the responsibility of the employee.
• Demonstrated skills and professional development from the last five years related to cultural competency and inclusive excellence.
• Experience with marketing/promotion of educational programs.
• Understanding of and ability to implement Civil Rights principles and compliance standards.
• Other skills and/or physical abilities required to perform duties of the position.

Desired Qualifications

• Master’s degree from an accredited institution in a field of study related to agriculture, local foods, youth STEM education, or related field.
• 3-years’ experience in Extension program delivery or demonstrated ability and skill in educational program planning, implementation, and evaluation (relevant experience acquired within the last 5-years, preferred).
• Demonstrated drive and initiative, with proven ability to manage multiple responsibilities and tasks simultaneously.
• Experience in successful contract and grant writing, including securing and managing grant funds and resources.

Required Application Materials

Current resume/CV.

Cover letter.

Four (4) professional references including two (2) current or previous supervisors.

Special Instructions

This position is a full-time, fixed term end-dated appointment, renewable annually based upon successful performance and continued funding. Position is dependent on continued funding of FRTEP program with current funding until March 2027.

Starting salary $56,100/year, commensurate with education and experience.

Review of Applications Begins On

01/24/2025

Website

https://youtu.be/KjG34cLt9a8

MSU Statement

Michigan State University has been advancing the common good with uncommon will for more than 160 years. One of the top research universities in the world, MSU pushes the boundaries of discovery and forges enduring partnerships to solve the most pressing global challenges while providing life-changing opportunities to a diverse and inclusive academic community through more than 200 programs of study in 17 degree-granting colleges.