Penn State Job Catalog

Additional levels that exist for this job profile can be seen below.

The defined natural career progression within or between job profiles.

Farm Management

The Farm Specialist is responsible for the management of a university research farm, including crop production, livestock care, and facility and equipment maintenance; integrate practical farm management with educational goals; collaborate with faculty, staff, students, and visitors to ensure the farm's operational efficiency; delegate and provide direction to support staff; maintain a safe and productive environment that aligns with the university’s mission.

• Oversee daily farm operations, including planting, cultivation, harvesting, and livestock care
• Develop and implement farming schedules; manage crop and livestock production to meet educational, research, and operational goals
• Monitor the health of crops and livestock; take corrective action/escalate as necessary
• Oversee farm equipment and infrastructure maintenance and repair, ensuring safety and efficiency
• Collaborate with faculty to design and deliver educational programs and hands-on learning experiences for students; support educational program marketing
• Participate in the planning, coordination, and implementation of research projects; perform data collection as needed
• Supervise and/or mentor students participating in farm-related projects, internships, or work-study programs
• Organize and lead farm tours, workshops, and other educational events for the campus community and external visitors; support extension education activities
• Promote and implement sustainable farming practices, such as conservation techniques and waste reduction
• Keep abreast of agricultural trends and innovations; integrate new practices and technologies into farm operations
• May participate in budget processes, including tracking expenses, procurement, and financial reporting
• Maintain accurate farm activity records, such as crop yields, livestock health, and equipment maintenance
• Implement and enforce safety protocols to protect staff, faculty, students, and visitors
• Ensure compliance with all relevant health, safety, and environmental regulations
• May collaborate on planning and executing harvested crop production sales
• May supervise staff members, including hiring, development, and performance management

Level:

– Supervisor

Base Description:

– Supervises direct reports, but primarily completes activities, tasks, and/or projects of a functional nature.

Level Summary:

– Demonstrates appropriate knowledge to perform own work; spends majority of time on tasks related to own job responsibilities. Demonstrates baseline planning, organizing, directing, and facilitating skills. Reviews completed work of others to verify accuracy and quality. Follows recommended approaches to assigned work. Supervises assigned staff and coordinates routine work activities. Monitors employee interactions and facilitates a productive working environment. Communicates instructions and policies in a consistent, effective and timely manner. Identifies and addresses concerns appropriately. Makes recommendations for possible solutions.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

– Typically oversees at least 2 full–time direct reports or equivalent team of part–time and/or student workers (for Support track, performs work at Senior Support level or higher; for Professional track, performs work at the Advanced Professional level or higher)

Fiscal Responsibilities:

– May validate and pay invoices
– May monitor/track budgets for specific area and/or grant(s)

Problem Solving:

– Encounters generally routine problems with progressively more complex and/or varied problems
– Typically follows standard operating procedures to resolve problems
– May apply specialized knowledge and skills to resolve complex and/or varied problems
– Applies proven and tries new approaches when solving problems

Independence of Action:

– Works with minimal supervision on difficult work assignments, conferring with manager on unusual matters
– Follows precedents and procedures
– Organizes work of direct reports and may set priorities within general guidelines established by manager
– Reviews the work of others to verify accuracy, quality, and conformance to required procedures and special instructions

Communication and Collaboration:

– Communicates internally within working unit and the University
– Communicates with external audiences for scheduling/coordination
– May communicate with external audiences for business purposes
– Collaborates closely with team members; may interact with other staff outside of area
– Utilizes a communication style that is appropriate for a given situation
– Interprets and communicates information, ideas and instructions clearly and accurately both verbally and in written materials

• Comp Grade – 8
• Minimum – $51,000.00
• MidPoint – $62,500.00
• Maximum – $74,000.00