Assistant/Associate Extension Agent (Nutrition)
Faculty
LSUAG PL4 - Southeast - Parish - Washington (Amy Marie Varnado (00082119))
0101 Washington Parish Extension Office
Academic
Work Location: This position serves stakeholders in Washington and St. Tammany Parishes in Southeast Louisiana. Fifty percent of the employee’s time and Extension educational efforts will be dedicated to programming and service delivery in Washington Parish and 50 percent will support Extension educational efforts in St. Tammany Parish. The assigned domicile office is located in Franklinton. Together, the two parishes encompass a combined population of 323,844 residents. The LSU AgCenter’s Healthy Communities Program is designed to reach citizens within their communities with health, wellness, and nutrition information and food buying and preparation skills with the goal of achieving increased knowledge and behavioral change leading to healthier lifestyles to impact the trend of increased obesity and related chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.
Job Description: The Assistant/Associate Nutrition & Community Health (NCH) Extension Agent is responsible for delivering community-based nutrition education with a focus on healthy eating, physical activity, weight management, general health and wellness, and chronic disease prevention.
The agent will conduct nutrition education programs throughout the year, primarily targeting Louisiana’s adult population, with youth programming offered as time and requests allow. Most programming will include an interactive educational session and food demonstration and/or tasting to engage participants and reinforce healthy eating practices.
The agent will lead efforts in planning, implementing, conducting, evaluating, and reporting interventions that involve food, nutrition, physical activity, and general health. Additional responsibilities include participating in participant recruitment, community outreach, health expos, health fairs, and Ag Extension events. Agents are expected to highlight NCH programs in the assigned parish(es) and distribute nutrition education through in-person sessions, print media, local public media, mass media, social media, and other communication platforms. The agent will be comfortable working with diverse audiences and delivering education to groups with various learning styles. Agents will be aware of community, city/town, parish, and regional partnerships, resources, and contacts which can help support local and parish NCH programming.
The agent will organize and maintain an advisory committee composed of local government officials, volunteers, health professionals, and community residents to identify and address local nutrition-related needs. As an AgCenter Extension employee, the agent must be committed to ongoing professional development, staying abreast of current trends in nutrition, and sharing evidence-based nutrition information related to specific program topics with the public.
This position requires occasional overnight travel and availability to work evenings and weekends to meet community needs. The agent will serve under the supervision and guidance of the parish chair, regional director, NCH regional coordinator, and NCH state office staff. The agent may be assigned other tasks by supervisors and is expected to collaborate with other Extension faculty at parish, regional, and state levels.
Qualification Requirements: A baccalaureate degree in nutrition, family and consumer sciences, human sciences, vocational education or a closely related field from an accredited college or university is required. A registered dietician with community experience is preferred. Persons with only an undergraduate degree must have a minimum 2.5 overall grade-point average based on a 4-point grading system. If the applicant has pursued any graduate courses, the grade-point average of all graduate work must be at least 3.0 on a 4.0 system. The applicant must demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills. Experience in recruiting, training and supervising adults and volunteers and experience in teaching and applying principles of leadership development to both youth and adult audiences is also desired. Knowledge of public relations and the ability to cope with change are highly desirable characteristics. Ability to work with and through others is essential as is the ability to function with minimum supervision. The successful candidate will exemplify a positive attitude and a passion to improve the lives of others. Some overnight, weekend and evening work may be required.
Salary and Benefits: Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. The LSU AgCenter has an attractive benefits package with a wide variety of benefit options. Benefits offered include retirement, multiple medical insurance options, supplemental insurances (dental, life, long-term disability, accident, vision, long-term care, etc.), Tax Saver Flexible Benefits Plan (saves tax dollars on some child care and medical expenses), university holidays (14 per year, typically includes a week off at Christmas), generous annual (vacation) and sick leave benefits, Employee Assistance Program, and possible educational leave and tuition exemption for coursework at campuses of the LSU System. Specific benefits depend on job category, percent effort and length of employment.
Conditions of Employment: A personal automobile and appropriate insurance coverage is required (travel allowance provided). Satisfactory completion of one specific graduate level extension courses (3 credit hours) is required in year two or three of employment, prior to promotion eligibility to associate agent. Additionally, a faculty member who does not have a related master’s degree must complete an additional 12 hours of related graduate level coursework in order to be promoted to associate agent and such promotion must occur in the first seven years of employment. An exception is that additional agent experience may be substituted for 12 hours of coursework, but not for the required course.
Date Available: Upon completion of the selection process.
Application Deadline: July 23, 2026, or until a suitable candidate is identified.
Application Procedure: Apply online at https://lsu.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/LSU (or through Workday for internal applicants) by attaching cover letter with resume including a statement of professional interest and goals, official university transcripts, and two letters of reference. Paper, faxed or e-mailed application materials will not be accepted, except that in lieu of attaching the reference letters online, they may be sent directly to:
Dr. Vadel Shivers
Nutrition and Community Health Regional Coordinator
9050 Airline Highway Suite 120
Baton Rouge, LA 70815
Email: [email protected]
Ph: (225) 963-6344
Website: www.lsuagcenter.com
The LSU Agricultural Center is a statewide campus of the LSU System and provides equal opportunities in programs and employment. An Equal Opportunity Employer.
None
Skills Needed:
Preferred Skills:
June 23, 2026
Background Check - An offer of employment is contingent on a satisfactory pre-employment background check.
Benefits - The LSU AgCenter has an attractive benefits package with a wide variety of benefit options. Benefits offered include retirement, multiple medical insurance options, supplemental insurances (dental, life, long-term disability, accident, vision, long-term care, etc.), Tax Saver Flexible Benefits Plan (saves tax dollars on some childcare and medical expenses), university holidays (14 per year), generous annual (vacation) and sick leave benefits, Employee Assistance Program, and possible educational leave and tuition exemption for coursework at campuses of the LSU System. Specific benefits depend on job category, percent effort and length of employment.
Positions approved to work outside the State of Louisiana shall be employed through Louisiana State University’s partner, nextSource Workforce Solutions, for Employer of Record Services including but not limited to employment, benefits, payroll, and tax compliance. Positions employed through Employer of Record Services will be offered benefits and retirement as applicable through their provider and will not be eligible for State of Louisiana benefits and retirement.
The LSU AgCenter, is one of eight campuses within the broader LSU enterprise (LSU System). The LSU AgCenter includes the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, which conducts agricultural-based research, and the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service, which extends the knowledge derived from research to the people of the state. The AgCenter is headquartered in Baton Rouge and has 12 “on campus” academic departments and five regions which are made up of 15 branch research stations and an extension office in each parish. For more information, visit the AgCenter’s website at www.lsuagcenter.com.
Questions or concerns can be directed to the LSU AgCenter Human Resources Management Office at 225-578-2258 or emailed [email protected].
