Request for Applications

Subject Matter Experts, Video Production Specialists

National Worker Protection Standard (WPS)
Agricultural Worker and Pesticide Handler Training Videos

The Pesticide Educational Resources Collaborative (PERC) invites applications to serve on a national project team to inform and create a training video that meets WPS training requirements for Agricultural Workers and Pesticide Handlers.

About PERC:

PERC is led by University of California of Davis Extension and Oregon State University, and is funded by a 5-year cooperative agreement (#X8-83616301) from the U.S. EPA. PERC aims to support the development of resources/materials about the safe use of pesticides by applicators and handlers in agricultural, commercial, and residential settings. Materials could include brochures, factsheets, posters, videos, manuals, and mobile tools, while addressing the needs of low-literacy and multilingual audiences. These materials will help prevent pesticide exposure incidents for pesticide applicators, handlers, workers, and their families. The PERC supports the U.S. EPA’s Strategic Goal 4: Ensuring the Safety of Chemicals and preventing pollution.

The Project:

The primary goal of this project is to create 1-2 EPA-approved WPS training videos to train agricultural workers and pesticide handlers, which comply with the training requirements for 2018 and beyond.

The videos will be in English and Spanish, will feature various industries, and will not be sector-specific. A goal is to make them as visually clear/intuitive as possible for low-literacy groups.

The Team:

As many as four (4) team members are needed to participate in determining priorities, developing video scripts, improving drafts, arranging farm visits for filming, assuring that video footage shows compliance with proper personal protective equipment and WPS practices, and video production and editing expert(s). Desired applicants will have demonstrated success working individually or on a team to produce a safety video, preferably related to the WPS.

The level of effort for each team member depends on the number of SMEs/videographers recruited, their availability (hours/week) and their skill level. PERC predicts peak effort between May and July and could vary as much as 5-20 hours per week. It is expected that the outputs will be complete by fall 2017, although some team members may be retained through the end of 2017 to respond to user feedback. Depending on the team members selected and their geographic locations, there may be a moderate amount of travel associated with this project. PERC can cover travel expenses for non-federal entities.

Subject Matter Expert (SME) Job Description & Qualifications:

Job descriptions will vary, but may include some or all of the following:

  • Collect national best practices and resources relevant to the scope of this project.
  • Serve as lead or contributing author of video script(s) utilizing the best practices and to include feedback from the primary user (trainers), and the target audiences, agricultural workers and pesticide handlers.
  • Organize material and complete writing assignment according to set standards regarding order, clarity, conciseness, style, and terminology.
  • Review drafted scripts and rough video and recommend revisions or changes in format and content.
  • When appropriate, incorporate feedback from the PERC Advisory Board.
  • Maintain ongoing consultation via PERC administrators with EPA to ensure regulatory accuracy and achieve EPA approval of final products.
  • Experience with pesticide applications and/or pesticide-related training.
  • Work in close collaboration with videographer(s) to develop effective video(s) for conveying pesticide safety concepts.
  • Maximize cultural competence and sensitivity.
  • Use video education/instructional design expertise in creation of videos.
  • Use video project management expertise to guide project and keep to established timeline for creation and release.

Videographer Job Description & Qualifications:

  • Meet with a team of subject matter experts in person or remotely to develop ideas/plans.
  • Experience with creating/editing instructional/training videos. Pesticide and/or farm related experience a plus.
  • Evaluate examples, best practices, and resources relevant to the project.
  • Work in close collaboration with project team lead/subject matter experts to develop effective video(s) for conveying pesticide safety concepts.
  • Incorporate input/feedback from target user groups, including farm/greenhouse workers, pesticide handlers, and agricultural/handler employers, among others.
  • Maximize cultural competence and sensitivity.
  • Be able to film on agricultural job site(s) and capture application methods clearly for training purposes.
  • Use video education/instructional design expertise in creation of videos.
  • Use video project management expertise to guide project and keep to established timeline for creation and release.

Eligibility:

State and tribal regulators, academic/private/non-profit educators, professional videographers and video editors, and representatives from professional associations are encouraged to apply. Funding is available for compensation for a project member’s time, pending the applicant’s eligibility to accept payment under the rules governing this cooperative agreement. Participation may also be considered as in-kind.

Application Procedure & Selection:

Complete the web-based form available here. Be prepared to describe your qualifications, availability, compensation requirements, and any constituent groups you feel you can represent.

Application receipt deadline: Monday, March 27, 2017

Earliest funding start date: ~ April 24, 2017

Using a system for evaluating applications, PERC administrators from the University of California of Davis Extension and Oregon State University will make the final selections and will notify all applicants of their decision by April 10.

For questions, please contact Hannah Moore, (hlmoore[at]ucdavis.edu), Suzanne Forsyth (spforsyth[at]ucdavis.edu), or Kaci Buhl (kaci.buhl[at]oregonstate.edu).

Regulatory Guidance

Browse brief guides about protections for workers and handlers, the AEZ, posting, PPE, exemptions, training, respirators, and more, in English and Spanish.

You are using an unsupported version of Internet Explorer. To ensure security, performance, and full functionality, please upgrade to an up-to-date browser.