Communications and Post-Doc Positions Open at GROW

The GROW network is expanding! See two new positions open at this time — a GROW Content & Outreach Specialist located at Virginia Tech, and a post-doctoral researcher position at Penn State University.

Job Description

GROW (Getting Rid of Weeds) is a scientist-led network coordinating and promoting research on integrated weed management (IWM) strategies, to help farmers build more sustainable farms. The organization’s website is an industry-wide resource for the ag community for up-to-date, tested, and vetted resources on weed control tools such as cover crops, increased crop competition, harvest weed seed control and more. GROW has recently expanded to manage the outreach and communications for Take Action, a long-trusted, soybean checkoff-funded resource on managing herbicides responsibly to fight herbicide resistance. GROW also partners closely with the Precision Sustainable Agriculture (PSA) network, a coalition of scientists and engineers working to translate data and research into tools that help growers farm more sustainably.

Our growing communications and outreach team produces weekly content on integrated weed management and precision agriculture to educate farmers, while constantly updating and refining our website resources, maintaining a strong social media brand and traveling to farms and conferences to maintain a strong industry presence.

GROW is looking for a science communicator with strong content production skills in digital media. The GROW Content & Outreach Specialist will work closely under the direction of the Director of Outreach and Extension to:

Location:

Blacksburg, VA (Virginia Tech) or Remote/Hybrid.

Required Qualifications

A master’s degree in Agricultural Communications, Journalism, Communications or closely related field, or a bachelor’s degree and equivalent level of experience; Working knowledge of and a commitment to working as part of a team on a wide variety of Extension and outreach efforts; Effective communication (verbal and written), administrative, and interpersonal skills; Abilities to build effective working relationships with colleagues and clientele, and to work as a member of a team; Organized and able to manage multiple projects simultaneously and work remotely; Proficiency in the use of computer software packages such as Zoom, PowerPoint, Google Drive, and social media platforms; Ability to carry equipment, educational materials, and supplies. The candidate must possess a valid driver’s license and the ability to occasionally travel nationwide. Candidates must be eligible to work in the US.

Preferred Qualifications

Master’s degree or at least 3 years of experience in Extension or a similar outreach role; Previous demonstrated experience in leading team meetings, writing articles and outreach content, video and podcast production, and other duties described above are desirable.

APPLY FOR THIS POSITION HERE! For more questions on this position, contact GROW Director of Outreach & Extension Emily Unglesbee.

Job Description

We are seeking a Post-doctoral Research Scholar to join GROW (www.growiwm.org), a dynamic research and extension network for integrated weed management. GROW conducts research on several IWM and ecological weed management tactics including cover crops and harvest-time weed seed control across a range of environments and is engaged in development of real-time weed and crop mapping systems using computer vision and artificial intelligence.

Primary responsibilities will include analyzing data, writing, and publishing research results in scholarly peer-reviewed journals and extension publications. This responsibility requires management and analysis of large agronomic and weed ecology datasets generated from multi-state GROW research projects and long-term datasets generated from cropping systems experiments. The successful candidate will have opportunities to lead grant writing efforts, which may include development of independent but related lines of research. This position is a unique professional opportunity. The successful candidate will benefit from significant professional networking opportunities by playing a central role in the GROW project, which is national in scope.

Location

This position will be located at Penn State University, University Park, PA and will be principally advised by John Wallace. Occasional travel to Beltsville, MD will be necessary to engage with scholarship generated within the USDA-ARS- BARC Sustainable Agricultural Systems Laboratory (Lead PI: Dr. Steven Mirsky). Remote work for exceptional candidates may be considered.

Background and Qualifications

We are looking for candidates with excellent organizational and quantitative skills, a demonstrated record of research productivity documented with peer- reviewed publications, and expertise in any of the following areas: weed ecology and population dynamics, multi-tactic weed management, agronomic crop production, agroecology, data science, and statistics. A PhD required in Weed Science, Agronomy, Soil Science, Plant Ecology, Environmental Sciences, Precision Agriculture, or related fields. Special requirements: Valid driver’s license. Must pass a federal background check.

Application Materials

Applications will require a resume (CV), letter of interest, and names and contact information of three references. Potential candidates should contact Dr. John Wallace (jmw309@psu.edu) to express interest. Additional information about how to submit a formal application will be provided when it is available.

Review of Applicants and Start Date

Review will begin immediately and will remain open until a suitable candidate is identified. Starting date is negotiable; salary range is $60 to $65K, with an extensive benefits package.