Conservation Agronomist

Primary Objective: The IAS Conservation Agronomist will be part of the team that supports business growth, and strategy with its internal and external stakeholders, and serves as the expert on regenerative ag practices that benefit both the company and the grower member.

Major Accountabilities:

The following duties are typical for this job. These are not to be construed as exclusive or all-inclusive.

• Assist growers enrolling in Truterra, USDA-NRCS, SWCD, IDALS, and any other financial assistance programs for their conservation efforts.
• Serve as an expert on conservation agronomy. Educate the IAS team and our customers on soil health, conservation implementation best practices, and other agronomic considerations when adding conservation practices like conservation tillage and cover crops to an operation.
• Industry liaison: maintaining active involvement with conservation organizations and associations (NRCS, NACD/SWCD, Watershed Management Authorities, Pheasants Forever, etc.) to identify growth opportunities for IAS and its network and develop projects and programs that advance stewardship on croplands.
• Aid in the delivery of training around soil health, cover crops, and other conservation agronomy topics to both IAS Agronomy Sales Advisors and growers.
• Demonstrate successful conservation practice implementation by designing field trials and collaborating with growers to execute. Review resulting data and develop stewardship insights to incorporate into case studies and future grower education opportunities.
• Support the IAS growth strategy. Aid in the IAS Sustainability Lead’s development of project proposals to access public-private funding for the implementation of conservation practices. Leverage our services provided to strengthen and grow our customer base.
• Participate in partner meetings, trainings, and other events.

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities:

• B.S. in Soil Science, Agronomy, Natural Resource Management, Agriculture Business, or related discipline
• 5 or more years of experience in agronomy, conservation, and natural resource management
• Strong understanding of midwestern cropping systems and agronomic principles
• Experience advising farmers on agronomic and conservation topics
• First-hand knowledge of NRCS, IDALS, and SWCD conservation funding programs
• Proficiency in Microsoft Suite; Preferred experience with SOILMAP and Truterra software
• Solid network of conservation contacts that will allow for more expansion of projects

Competencies Skills:

• Self-starting, goal-directed collaborator with proven ability to achieve results through self and others
• Demonstrated project planning and management acumen for multiple tasks
• Demonstrated customer focus
• Ability to understand, translate, and align internal and customer business dynamics and strategies
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to understand and process data and develop recommendations and action plans
• Strong written and oral communication skills

Physical Requirements/Environmental Adaptability:

• Requires static strength to lift, push, pull, or carry objects with a minimum weight of 50 pounds. Also flexibility to bend, stretch, twist, or reach with your body, arms, and/or legs. Also trunk strength and ability to use abdominal and lower back muscles to support part of the body repeatedly or continuously over time. Some tasks involve repetitive motion.
• Agricultural Environment – Possible exposure to seasonal weather, outdoor conditions, and agriagricultural products.
• Personal Protective Equipment may be required for some tasks.
  

About IAS’s Sustainability Initiative

At IAS, we strive to protect and restore our natural resources while enhancing the profit on each individual acre we influence by bringing insights and resources. We partner with Truterra, the Land O’Lakes sustainability company; watershed groups; state and federal departments of agriculture; and local growers to continue to build soil health and unlock the land’s deeper value.

Whom are we looking for?

As the opportunities and need for improvement are growing, IAS is seeking genuine individuals and supportive team players, hungry to collaborate cross-functionally to build better solutions to hard problems and have a meaningful impact on agriculture. The most successful candidates must be comfortable with ambiguity and demonstrate an owner’s mindset by being action-oriented, staying solution-focused, adapting to evolving strategies, and repeatedly going the extra mile. This candidate will be comfortable and enthusiastic about continuous improvement and generating partnerships with local growers that support our IAS purpose statement of Growing Relationships to Maximize Success