A Carroll County woman who worked as a Cooperative Extension Service agent in the county for 16 years should get that job back, Circuit Court Judge Luke K. Burns Jr. ruled last week.

Sharon B. Grobaker, who worked in the home economics program in Carroll County, filed suit in July 1992 claiming that the extension service's decision to transfer her to a job in Baltimore County was a breach of contract.

Officials of the extension service said Mrs. Grobaker had to be transferred July 1, 1992, because her full-time position had been eliminated as part of a plan to cut $3.6 million from their budget.

Judge Burns ruled that under the extension service's "faculty retrenchment" policy, Mrs. Grobaker's seniority should have permitted her to keep her job.

The downsizing should have had no bearing on her contract, the judge ruled.

"I am extremely appreciative of the support people in Carroll County have given me," Mrs. Grobaker said yesterday. "It's my home, and I'm looking forward to going back to work there."

Dr. Nan Booth, the interim associate director of the extension service, said the service would have no comment until it had reviewed Judge Burns' ruling.