About the role
The position will be based in the USDA NRCS Missouri State Office in Columbia, Missouri.
Pay Grade: 90N
Context of Job
The Department of Applied Economics and Statistics, at the University of Delaware, seeks a Limited Term Researcher of Conservation Delivery.
The position will be based in the USDA NRCS Missouri State Office in Columbia, Missouri and will work under the guidance of Kent D. Messer, Director of the Center for Behavioral and Experimental Agri-Environmental Research (CBEAR). The successful candidate will collaborate closely with USDA NRCS, Ducks Unlimited at both the Missouri and national levels, and a network of applied researchers to improve conservation program delivery through behavioral science.
This is a rare opportunity to help establish one of the first embedded behavioral science programs within USDA conservation delivery while contributing to applied research with national relevance.
Major Responsibilities
- Serve as an embedded behavioral scientist within Missouri NRCS and build trusted relationships with field staff, leadership, farmers, producer groups, and partner organizations.
- Work with Missouri Producer Working Groups to identify opportunities to improve strategic conservation planning and program delivery.
- Develop a systematic inventory of administrative friction ('sludge') and behavioral barriers affecting conservation program participation, implementation, and persistence.
- Collaborate with CBEAR researchers, NRCS, and Ducks Unlimited to design, implement, and evaluate behavioral interventions via randomized controlled trials.
- Refine and expand training modules that help USDA and partner conservation professionals apply behavioral science to improve outreach, communication, and conservation delivery.
- Translate research into practical tools for conservation professionals while bringing practitioner insights back into research.
- Publish findings in peer-reviewed journals and present results at professional conferences.
Qualifications
- Master's or Ph.D. in behavioral economics, economics, psychology, public policy, or a related field.
- Strong analytical and communication skills, interest in applied field research related to agri-environmental topics.
- Enthusiasm for working across academic and practitioner communities.
Special Requirements
Travel will include work throughout Missouri with producer groups and conservation partners, periodic visits to the University of Delaware, Ducks Unlimited national headquarters in Memphis, Tennessee, and professional conferences.