This position is a part of the Non-Academic Staff Association (NASA).

This position has a term length of one year plus a day and offers a comprehensive benefits package.

Location - This role is in-person at North Campus, Edmonton.

Working for the Rangeland Research Institute

The Rangeland Research Institute is dedicated to the advancement of research, education and technology transfer for rangelands, and is further supported by the presence of two 5,000 ha University of Alberta operated research stations situated in the Aspen Parkland (Kinsella, AB) and Dry Mixedgrass Prairie (Brooks, AB). The RRI supports University of Alberta researchers and instructors in many ways, including directly through the provision of competitive grants, and indirectly by providing access to supplemental resources (e.g., housing, facility use, safety training) that ensures efficient and timely use of these resources in addressing relevant research questions, supporting ongoing student training, and heightening public awareness on the benefits of rangelands.

Position Summary

The RRI - KTT (Knowledge & Technical Transfer) Communications Facilitator will help develop, promote, organize and deliver various outreach activities supporting the mandate of the Rangeland Research Institute at the University of Alberta. The role of this position is to markedly increase the capacity for rangeland extension and knowledge transfer across Alberta, and indeed western Canada, over the period of 2025 through 2029. In doing so, this increase will coincide with the upcoming United Nation’s designation of the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists (IYRP), which is set to occur during 2026. This designation is the culmination of many years of work by rangeland stakeholders globally, including those in Canada, and led to formal recognition of support for the IYRP by the Canadian government. A primary goal of the IYRP is to increase the awareness, understanding and appreciation, among all public stakeholders of the importance and sustainable utilization of rangelands and pastures.

Key duties of the RRI Communications Facilitator will include to:

1. Help organize workshops during winter and spring, and field tours during summer and fall, to showcase and disseminate information to stakeholders (researchers, government, industry, producers, and the general public) on the value of research, education and best management practices in rangelands.

2. Organize, undertake and make available a series of webinars and/or pod-casts on different topics (target frequency of every 3-4 months) that will provide information of direct relevance to ranchers and public stakeholders across Alberta and western Canada.

3. Develop practical (lay-form) written extension materials to ensure that novel and innovative range research done over the last 5 decades in Alberta is effectively translated into concise but useable forms by stakeholders. The expectation is that the Communications Facilitator will lead the development of 4-6 fact sheets/extension bulletins per year.

4. Develop a half-day school group curriculum (targeting Grades 6 through 9) that includes select hands-on learning experiences to expose a younger general audience to the importance of rangelands, linkages to grazing and the environment.

5. Produce informational videos (e.g., 5 minutes in length) about the RRI that highlight the RRI and its research ranches (Mattheis, Kinsella, Onefour, Stavely) including examples of the research being conducted and the value of rangelands.

The successful candidate for this position should have the following:

1. Ideally, the candidate will have a diploma or BSc degree in Communications, with at least 3 years of prior experience working in the field, including in the tasks outlined above. It is also possible that these communication skills and competencies may have been developed through an extended period of time by working in the Communications field.

2. Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, and have prior experience with preparing extension materials, including fact sheets, webinars, powerpoints, etc.

3. A high degree of familiarity with different computer software programs for developing written extension materials. Prior experience and proficiency in editing of written material (and graphic design) is a strong asset.

4. The candidate should have strong organizational skills, and experience in planning virtual and in-person KTT/outreach events, both indoors and outdoors. As such, familiarity with using event planning and promotion tools, such as Eventbrite to manage registrations and social media platforms for promoting events (X, Facebook, Instagram, etc.) is an asset.

Preferred Qualifications

While no formal degree is required in Agriculture, Biology, or Natural Resource Management, basic familiarity with agricultural systems, range and pastureland environments, and the issues/challenges ranchers and public land managers face are important asset.