CAPS & Outreach Coordinator, Department of Entomology & Plant Pathology: UTIA

The CAPS and Outreach Coordinator is a versatile role consisting of serving as the CAPS Director, State Survey Coordinator, and Outreach Coordinator for the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. The successful candidate will manage and oversee the USDA Cooperative Agricultural Pest Survey (CAPS) program for the state of Tennessee, which is led by the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology; serve as the State Survey Coordinator to coordinate and collaborate with stakeholders to conduct research-based pest surveillance across the state of Tennessee; develop novel and innovative outreach tools and deliver educational and outreach activities for youth and adults across Tennessee. The incumbent will interview, hire, and supervise part-time or temporary employees for field support and will be responsible for preparing and submitting budgets, annual reports, and position-related grant proposals. This candidate will be under the general direction of the Head of the Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. This is a grant-funded position and is contingent upon the continued funding of the grant. 

CAPS Director:

• Manages, oversees, and conducts pest detection projects determined in consultation with the Tennessee State Plant Health Director (SPHD) (USDA APHIS) and the Tennessee State Plant Regulatory Official (SPRO) (Tennessee Department of Agriculture)

State Survey Coordinator:

• Develops the Annual Statewide CAPS Survey Plan and associated budget; oversees purchases and assistants
• Collaborates with personnel at state/federal agencies and universities to monitor exotic plant pests
• Conducts additional surveys and serve as consultant on other exotic pest surveys in Tennessee; monitors and reports exotic plant pests
• Assists in development of survey scopes, estimate costs, develop budgets, and monitor project delivery, ensuring compliance with regulations and legislation

Key Responsibilities:

• Coordinating with various stakeholders, managing databases, and contributing to the development of survey plans
• Leading all aspects of the CAPS program, from planning and scope development of surveys to submission of CAPS workplans and survey proposals to execution and monitoring to developing reports and entering all state data into the government-approved database

Other Duties:

• Serves as the primary contact for the CAPS program within the state
• Attends the annual CAPS meeting as part of the Southern Plant Board Annual Meeting
• Chairs and coordinates the CAPS State Survey Committee that reflects stakeholder input and provides guidance and assistance to the program and plans
• Chairs the Annual CAPS Planning Meeting
• Prepares draft work and financial plans in accordance with the National CAPS Guidelines and with input of the State Plant Health Director (SPHD), State Plant Regulatory Official (SPRO), and Pest Survey Specialist (PSS)
• Works with PSS and CAPS cooperators to identify personnel, their coordination, necessary supplies, training, database requirements, reporting requirements, and time commitment necessary to implement the plan
• Develops grant proposals, finalizes proposed work and financial plans, and submits to SPRO and appropriate state agencies
• Maintains communications with diagnostic laboratories and taxonomists supporting CAPS surveys and coordinates with the PSS and PPQ (Plant Protection Quarantine) National Operations Manager
• Prepares and archives collected samples, as needed; maintains voucher specimens 
• Prepares written and oral reports on collected data for USDA and other various agencies
• Coordinates with state and federal agencies to ensure survey data for various projects from across the state are properly entered into specific databases in accordance with national guidelines, archived, and shared with stakeholders
• Oversees and manages personnel who are setting traps and collecting material from traps on a regular basis
• Meets regularly with the SPHD, SPRO, and PSS to draft new survey plans and amendments as needed
• Collaborates with the PSS to finalize tracking and monitoring protocols charting progress of individual surveys and sharing problems with SPHD, SPRO, and PSS to enhance problem resolution
• Follows USDA-approved methods for pest surveillance in all CAPS and PPA 7721 goal 1 surveys
• Identifies insect species, as needed
• Trains personnel involved in sampling
• Reports new state records to appropriate federal personnel and enters information into national database
• Manages and updates the CAPS website

Outreach Coordinator:

• Primary Duties:
  • Develops and delivers a statew