Program Assistant, Pipestone and Murray Counties

Title: Program Assistant, Pipestone and Murray Counties

Job code: 0006, Non-Exempt Temporary (up to 67 days in a calendar year)

Employee Group: Temporary/Casual

Full/Part Time (FTE): Part time, 0-30 hours per week, most weeks will be 10-30 hours, with no more than 67 calendar days worked in a calendar year

Regular/Temporary: Temporary, anticipated term for the position is October 5-December 31. There is some flexibility in start and end dates.

Office location: Pipestone and Murray county offices in Pipestone and Slayton, this is an in-person position where flexible hybrid options may be available.

Estimated salary range: $15.25 -$18/hour pay range depending on qualifications and experience. Work related mileage and expenses will be reimbursed.

Apply by: September 6, 2026

This ANR County Program Assistant will work directly with the local agriculture production systems extension educator and will have specific projects in these areas for Pipestone and Murray counties. The work projects will include event planning and execution, curriculum development related to desired content for local programming, writing educational news releases, promotional material and news release content creation, and providing technical assistance to county residents in all areas of agriculture. Primary office location will be Pipestone or Slayton. The position reports to Matti Boomgaarden, Extension educator. This position will work 10-30 hours in a typical week from October through approximately December 31, 2026, depending on the chosen candidate's availability.

This position is ideal for a person currently in the Pipestone and Murray county communities who is in high school or college, or who is looking to learn more about and obtain skills and experience in youth development work. This is not an internship, but the counties would like to invest in a community member to help them learn about agriculture and grow their knowledge, skills, abilities and interest in their communities.

This position will report to Pipestone and Murray County Extension Educator. The office location for this position will be split between extension offices in Pipestone, MN at 1016 8th Ave SW, Pipestone, MN 56164 and Slayton, MN at 2848 Broadway Ave, Slayton, MN 56172 with opportunities to work remotely when appropriate.

A weekly schedule will be between 0-30 hours, with a typical week being 10-30 hours, depending on the program needs and time of year. Significant work periods will be during the planning stages for upcoming events. The position will primarily work days, with very occasional evening and weekend work needed when implementing the actual program events. This position will work from October through approximately December 31, 2026, depending on the chosen candidate's availability. This position uses a time card to record time.

1) Contribute to conducting high quality, relevant educational programs by working with an Extension Educator on projects such as:

• Researching topics for curriculum development
• Adapting curriculum and marketing to reach new audiences
• Writing curriculum
• Conducting focus groups
• Creating educational pieces for the media
• Other duties as assigned

2) Build relationships and networks in the agricultural or natural resource fields.

• Connect directly with presenters, farmers, non-profits, agency staff, Extension educators and Extension specialists through email, mail and phone.
• Build targeted relationships with stakeholders, agencies and organizations that support work in communities.

3) Assist with Extension program planning and development, such as:

• Plan, market and conduct educational events
• Develop, administer, and analyze a needs assessment for a specific audience
• Create engaging social media content for the county's social media accounts
• Provide technical assistance by answering the public's questions through phone, email and in person communication

• Must be at least 16 years of age by start date.
• Knowledge of and/or lived experience in farming communities, helping on a farm, or working with livestock, crops or similar experiences.
• Demonstrated excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.) and Google Suite programs.
• Ability to learn additional software systems for educational use.
• An independent self-starter with the ability to be flexible and work on a variety of different tasks.

• When not in the assigned office location, must be reachable with a mobile number at the worker's own expense.
• Must have reliable internet if/when working outside of assigned office location.
• Ability to maintain a flexible work schedule, including some evenings or weekends.
• This position will require driving to/from multiple locations for work, at times in a single workday. Must have a valid driver's license, applicable insurance, and a reliable personal vehicle.
• Must be able to sit/stand for long periods of time and lift, push, pull, carry up to 30 pounds and push/pull 50 pounds occasionally.
• The position will require work outdoors during summer and fall weather conditions, including in farm fields, garden plots, and on uneven terrain.
• This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship.

• Classes taken (high school, college, community education) related to agriculture such as: agribusiness, agricultural communications, animal science, biological sciences, horticultural science, agronomy, natural resources, or related classes.
• Experience creating posts for social media.
• Customer service experience.

University of Minnesota Extension is a major outreach arm of the University of Minnesota, a land grant institution with a mission to serve the public through applied research and education. Our mission is to make a difference by connecting community needs and University resources to address critical issues in Minnesota. Extension strives to attract and retain high-quality, passionate employees. Find further information on the Extension website.

In the Department of Agricultural and Natural Resource Systems (ANR), we work with purpose to deliver research-based programming that improves lives, environments and the communities in which we live and work. We value engagement, inclusion, discovery, integrity, growth, and balance.

Pay Range: $15.25 - $18.00/hr depending on education/qualifications/experience.

Retirement plan options are available for Civil Service, Faculty, Labor-Represented, Professional & Administrative, and Temp Casual classifications. Learn more about retirement plans.

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail jobcentr@umn.edu.

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.