Extension County Specialist, Horticulture, Family and Consumer Science, 4-H Youth Development, Gunnison County

Job Description
Position Summary:

The Extension County Specialist, Horticulture, Family and Consumer Science & 4-H Youth Development Extension Specialist in Gunnison County is a full-time, non-tenure track Extension faculty position.

This Extension County Specialist will provide leadership and direction for Horticulture, Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS) and 4-H Youth Development programs in Gunnison County. This position is responsible for developing, marketing, and delivering research-based educational programming to address local needs, utilizing various dissemination methods to reach multiple community audiences effectively. This individual will collaborate with community partners and stakeholders to assess local needs, identify and connect Extension and University resources, and deliver educational programming that supports the County’s community needs. As an Extension specialist, they will work collaboratively with the office, community, and CSU Extension work teams to develop and report impacts. The specialist will work under the guidance and supervision of the Gunnison County Extension Director.

The office location for this position is in Gunnison, Colorado. While this position is eligible for some hybrid work, the individual in this position is expected to maintain a presence in the office to effectively balance the duties of the position. The work schedule will vary, and occasional nights and weekend work will be necessary.

For full consideration, all materials must be RECEIVED no later than 11:59 PM Mountain Time on Monday, March 23, 2026. Please submit the following to apply:

• CV
• Cover Letter
• Special Required Documentation – Statement (no more than 5 pages) of how you meet all applicable “Required” and “Preferred” Job Qualifications. Please respond to each bullet point separately.

Essential Job Duties:

• Develop and conduct educational programming in response to local needs.
• Work collaboratively with local government and organizational partners to develop, implement, evaluate and report impacts of non-credit educational programming for adult and youth audiences.
• Prepare volunteers for increasing leadership, management, and public education/information roles.
• Engage and collaborate with community-based organizations and constituents to understand community needs and develop support for existing and new program efforts.
• Identify resources (grants, contracts, in-kind contributions, cost recovery fees, etc.) to enhance programs, support programming efforts and practice cost recovery.
• Communicate and coordinate resources, research, and programming with faculty/staff at CSU, county, and other organizations.
• Develop and support strong equitable working relationships with Extension staff, CSU faculty, local/county agencies, community leaders and private industry organizations to address priority needs.
• Develop relationships and work with advisory groups and local leaders; cooperate with Extension Specialists in other counties to assess informal education needs in the area, develop/revise plans of work, implement educational strategies, and measure and report programmatic impacts.

Supervision:

• This position has no supervision responsibilities.

Conditions of Employment:

• Pre-employment Criminal Background Check (required for new hires), travel.
• Must have a valid driver’s license or the ability to obtain a driver’s license or access to a licensed driver by the employment start date.
• The successful candidate must be legally authorized to work in the United States by the proposed start date; Extension will not sponsor a visa for this position.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Completed bachelor’s degree. Conferred degree must be in Horticulture, Family and Consumer Sciences, Agriculture, Youth Development, Education, or closely related field.
• 2+ years of professional experience relevant to the Essential Job Duties of this position.
• Course work and/or professional experience must provide a broad and significant understanding of the educational work associated with the position.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Completed master’s degree relevant to the position.
• Appreciation and understanding of rural communities and an interest in working with people in a rural environment to address critical issues.
• Experience working with non-profit agencies and the ability to form relationships and partnerships with these entities and a knowledge of lower income clientele.
• Experience in needs identification, program development, and evaluation.
• Demonstrated experience/training in the recruitment, training, and management of volunteers.
• Successful experience in garnering financial support for educational programs including contracting, donor development, grantsmanship, or cost recovery efforts.
• Experience or training in promoting, marketing, or creating public awareness of program/services.
• Professional experience with, or knowledge of, Extension, 4-H, and the land-grant university system.
• Ability to speak, write, and teach audiences in Spanish.

Salary Range
$52,400-$87,000

Required Application Documents

To apply, please upload the following applicant documents. Ensure your materials fully address the required and preferred job qualifications of the position. Please note, applicants may redact information from their application materials that identifies their age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution.
Cover Letter, Resume/CV, Special Required Documentation
Employee Benefits

Colorado State University is not just a workplace; it’s a thriving community that’s transforming lives and improving the human condition through world-class teaching, research, and service. With a robust benefits package, collaborative atmosphere, and focus on work-life balance, CSU is where you can thrive, grow, and make a lasting impact.

• Review our detailed benefits information here.
• Explore the additional perks of working at CSU here.
• For the total value of CSU benefits in addition to wages, use our compensation calculator.
• Lastly, click here for more information about why Fort Collins is consistently ranked in the top cities to live in!

Background Check Policy Statement

Colorado State University strives to provide a safe study, work, and living environment for its faculty, staff, volunteers and students. To support this environment and comply with applicable laws and regulations, CSU conducts background checks for the finalist before a final offer. The type of background check conducted varies by position and can include, but is not limited to, criminal history, sex offender registry, motor vehicle history, financial history, and/or education verification. Background checks will also be conducted when required by law or contract and when, in the discretion of the University, it is reasonable and prudent to do so.

EEO

Colorado State University (CSU) provides equal employment opportunities to all applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

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