Job Description
Department Agriculture Job Posting Title Instructor, Department of Agriculture Job Description The Instructor of Agriculture will provide high-quality instruction, student mentoring, and academic support while advancing departmental initiatives related to curriculum development, workforce preparation, experiential learning, and industry engagement. The successful candidate will demonstrate a strong commitment to student-centered teaching and advising, fostering an engaging learning environment that promotes student success, professional growth, and career readiness. This position is intentionally broad in scope to provide instructional flexibility across multiple agricultural disciplines, including agronomy, agricultural business, agricultural communication, agricultural education, agricultural leadership, and animal science. The successful candidate will help strengthen existing academic programs while contributing to the development of innovative educational pathways, certificates, micro-credentials, and workforce-focused learning opportunities that align with industry needs. Teaching responsibilities will be assigned based on departmental needs and the successful candidate's qualifications, expertise, and professional experience. The position requires strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills; the ability to work collaboratively with faculty, staff, students, industry partners, and community stakeholders; and a demonstrated commitment to experiential learning, applied education, and meaningful engagement with the agricultural industry. Through classroom instruction, mentorship, and outreach, the instructor will play an important role in preparing students for successful careers and leadership within the agricultural and natural resource industries. Primary Responsibilities - Teaching and Student Success Teach undergraduate and graduate courses in assigned agricultural disciplines. Deliver instruction in face-to-face, hybrid, and online formats. Maintain high standards of teaching effectiveness and student engagement. Advise and mentor students regarding academic and career goals. Participate in curriculum assessment and continuous improvement efforts. Support student recruitment, retention, and success initiatives. - Curriculum Development Assist with development and revision of agricultural curricula. Support expansion of professional certificates and micro-credential programs. Contribute to interdisciplinary course development and innovative instructional models. Help restore and rotate specialized agronomy and agricultural business courses as program needs dictate. - Industry and Community Engagement Build relationships with agricultural industry partners, producers, agencies, and organizations. Support experiential learning opportunities including internships, applied projects, and workforce development activities. Participate in outreach activities that enhance departmental visibility and student opportunities. Assist with Professional and Continuing Education (PCE) initiatives and workforce training programs. - Service and Collaboration Participate in departmental, college, and university service activities. Collaborate with faculty across disciplines to support academic and workforce development initiatives. Engage with advisory boards and external stakeholders to ensure program relevance and responsiveness to industry needs. Potential Teaching Areas, depending upon qualifications and departmental needs, teaching assignments may include courses such as: Agronomy and Crop Science Grain Grading and Seed Analysis Crop Physiology Irrigation Soil Science Crop Improvement Soil Classification and Management Agricultural Business Agricultural Marketing Farm and Ranch Management Agricultural Economics Agribusiness Management Agricultural Finance Agricultural Education, Leadership, and Communication Agricultural Communications and Public Relations Agricultural Leadership Youth Development Extension and Outreach Education Workforce Development Animal Science Introductory Animal Science Livestock Production and Management Animal Industry Applications Minimum Qualifications Master's degree in Agriculture or a closely related field from an accredited institution. Demonstrated ability to teach in two or more agricultural disciplines relevant to departmental needs. Preferred Qualifications Doctorate in Agriculture or a closely related discipline. Professional experience within the agricultural industry. Teaching experience at the collegiate level. Experience with online instruction and course development. Experience in agricultural leadership, communications, workforce development, extension, or outreach programming. Experience developing certificates, workforce training programs, or micro-credentials. Evidence of collaboration across disciplines and organizations.
Appointment:
August 2026. This is a full-time, nine-month Instructor position with benefits. Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience.. Priority Deadline:
June 28, 2026. Screening of complete applications will begin immediately following the priority deadline and will continue until the position is filled. Application Process:
To apply for this position, please visit FHSU Careers. Only electronic applications submitted through the webpage will be accepted. Qualified candidates must submit the following documents: Cover letter describing your qualifications and successes with respect to the listed qualifications CV Contact information for three professional references Applicant documents should be submitted in one PDF. If you have questions regarding the position, please contact: Michael D. Woods, PhD. Email:
mdwoods3@fhsu.edu Phone:
(785) 628-4196 Why Join FHSU Agriculture? At Fort Hays State University, agriculture faculty have the opportunity to make a direct impact on students, communities, and the future of the agricultural industry. Faculty enjoy a collaborative environment, strong industry partnerships, growing academic programs, and opportunities to help shape innovative initiatives in workforce development, leadership education, agribusiness, agronomy, and agricultural technology. If you are passionate about teaching, mentoring students, and advancing the future of agriculture through innovation and collaboration, we encourage you to apply. Fort Hays State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and welcomes applications from individuals committed to excellence, innovation, and student success. Shape the Future of Agriculture at Fort Hays State University Fort Hays State University (FHSU) invites applications for a full-time, benefits-eligible Instructor of Agriculture position within the Department of Agriculture. This is an exciting opportunity for an innovative and student-centered educator who is passionate about preparing the next generation of agricultural professionals, leaders, educators, and entrepreneurs. The successful candidate will join a dynamic and growing department committed to experiential learning, workforce development, industry engagement, and applied scholarship. This position offers the opportunity to contribute across multiple agricultural disciplines while helping expand innovative educational pathways, certificates, and micro-credentials that address emerging workforce needs. We seek an individual who values collaboration, embraces teaching excellence, and is committed to fostering student success in both traditional and online learning environments. The successful candidate will play an important role in strengthening agricultural education, leadership development, agribusiness, agronomy, and interdisciplinary programming while supporting the department's strategic growth initiatives. Community of Hays FHSU is located in Hays, a vibrant college town of approximately 20,000, located halfway between Kansas City and Denver on Interstate 70. Hays is the regional center for education, health care, professional services, shopping, culture, and recreation for the western half of Kansas. The community boasts excellent recreational programs and facilities, including the comprehensive Center for Health Improvement, Hays Aquatic Park, Smoky Hill Country Club, Hays Municipal Golf Course, and extensive walking, running, and biking trails. Hays is within 45 minutes of two large lakes that offer great opportunities for boating, fishing, and camping. The Hays Municipal Airport provides connecting service to Denver with several flights daily. The Hays community is home to excellent Pre-K and K-12, public and private schools. With over 60 restaurants, major retail outlets, a low unemployment rate, and very short commute times, the city provides a safe, welcoming, low-cost, high-quality living environment for the residents who call "Hays, America" home. Notice of Non-discrimination:
FHSU is committed to providing equal opportunity and access to its educational programs, employment, services, and activities in compliance with federal and state nondiscrimination laws. FHSU prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation on the basis of race, color, national origin, ethnicity, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity and expression), age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law in its programs, activities, admissions, or employment. Background Check:
Final candidate will have consented to and successfully completed a criminal background check. Notice to KPERS retirees applying for a position: Recent legislation changes working-after-retirement rules for both you and your employer if you go back to work for a KPERS employer. Please contact your KPERS representative or www.kpers.org for further information on how this might affect you. Fort Hays State University was founded in 1902 as the Western Branch of Kansas State Normal School-a teacher's college. Our hometown, Hays, Kansas, is located on the high plains of north-central Kansas. The original home of the institution was on the grounds of Fort Hays, a Nineteenth-Century frontier military outpost. The state of Kansas initially intended the university's academic programs to focus on agriculture, but it opened in as a "normal" or teacher's college. Our mission is to develop the engaged global citizen-leaders our world needs. FHSU today is a regional comprehensive public university where determined, innovative, and caring faculty and staff share a deep commitment to teaching and mentoring students. Total enrollment at FHSU exceeds 14,000 students who pursue their educational goals on-campus, online, and at our two international partnership campuses in China. Employers tell us the combination of challenging academic programs, close faculty/student relationships, and the abundance of experiential learning opportunities our students enjoy while at FHSU set our students apart in competitive job markets worldwide. More than 95% of FHSU students secure jobs or higher education opportunities after they graduate. And FHSU consistently ranks among the top regional universities in the American Midwest. A pioneer in distance education, we began delivering correspondence courses to teachers in rural Kansas early in the 20th Century. Today, FHSU Online delivers more than 200 flexible, affordable, and high-quality online programs. Over the years, FHSU Online received many accolades, including U.S. News & World Report Online Programs rankings, GetEducated.com, Best Buys in Education, among others. The university has rich sports and cultural programming, all of which enjoy tremendous community support. The Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center is home to the Encore Series, which hosts many traveling Broadway shows, the Hays Symphony, university, and other national and world-caliber performances. The university supports one of the most extensive and successful intercollegiate sports programs of any comparably sized college or university in America, boasting numerous All-American athletes and eight national championships. Nearly 400 athletes compete annually in eight men's and eight women's sports. FHSU is a member of the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association, which comprises 14 schools from Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma. Click here to go back to the Job Listings. Visit the Fort Hays State University homepage at www.fhsu.edu.
