Careers at Virginia Tech

Virginia Tech seeks to hire an education and outreach specialist to support the Virginia Soil Health Coalition in coordinating partnerships, managing communications, and advancing outreach and education efforts. This role will focus on outreach, content creation, and engagement to highlight soil health initiatives and connect farmers, conservation professionals, policymakers, and landowners. The successful candidate in this position will also assist in organizing coalition meetings, events, and educational programs while fostering collaboration among diverse stakeholders. Ideal candidates will have strong communication skills, experience in outreach, project coordination, and a passion for sustainable agriculture, soil health, and natural resources conservation. The work location is flexible within Virginia. The position is restricted and currently funded for two years. Continuation of the position thereafter will be contingent upon performance and funding.

- Master’s degree in agriculture, environmental science, communications, or a related field; or a Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 3 years of experience in program coordination, communications, or outreach related to agriculture, conservation, or a related field.

- Strong written and verbal communication skills.

- Experience coordinating projects, events, or outreach efforts with diverse partners or stakeholders.

- Strong organizational skills.

- Experience developing educational materials, blog posts, newsletters, and/or social media content.

- Ability to translate complex scientific or policy topics into engaging, accessible content for diverse audiences, including farmers, conservation professionals, and policymakers.

- Experience facilitating meetings of diverse stakeholders.

- Experience developing workshops, webinars, or other educational programming.

- Familiarity with social media management and related email/web marketing and design tools.

- Understanding of soil health principles, conservation agriculture, or natural resource management.

- Familiarity with Virginia’s agricultural landscape, farmers, and conservation programs

- Experience fundraising/grant writing.

- Experience with coalition/network building and stakeholder outreach/engagement.

Exempt: Not eligible for overtime

Restricted

Commensurate with Experience

40

04/25/2025

The successful candidate will be required to have a criminal conviction check.

Dedicated to its motto, Ut Prosim (That I May Serve), Virginia Tech pushes the boundaries of knowledge by taking a hands-on, transdisciplinary approach to preparing scholars to be leaders and problem-solvers. A comprehensive land-grant institution that enhances the quality of life in Virginia and throughout the world, Virginia Tech is an inclusive community dedicated to knowledge, discovery, and creativity. The university offers more than 280 majors to a diverse enrollment of more than 36,000 undergraduate, graduate, and professional students in eight undergraduate colleges, a school of medicine, a veterinary medicine college, Graduate School, and Honors College. The university has a significant presence across Virginia, including the Innovation Campus in Northern Virginia; the Health Sciences and Technology Campus in Roanoke; sites in Newport News and Richmond; and numerous Extension offices and research centers. A leading global research institution, Virginia Tech conducts more than $500 million in research annually.

Virginia Tech endorses and encourages participation in professional development opportunities and university shared governance.  These valuable contributions to university shared governance provide important representation and perspective, along with opportunities for unique and impactful professional development.