MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
The successful candidate will provide leadership for research and extension in one of California’s most important agricultural regions. Specific aspects of duties include:
· Develop and conduct a Cooperative Extension education and research program that meets critical needs and builds the knowledge base in vegetable crop production and practices and plant pathology.
· Provide managerial leadership, expertise and direction including prioritization and exercising ultimate authority for allocation and approval of financial and human resources, long-range facility planning and development, and space planning and allocation.
· Exercise hiring, disciplinary and termination authority of human resources.
· Advocate for Desert REC, promoting research, extension and collaboration of projects. Develop research funding for own research projects and overall Desert REC mission and goals.
· Participate in regional and statewide ANR committees, workgroups and meetings to ensure strong linkages and effective communications among the REC system, ANR administration and appropriate UC campus departments.
· Manage the research project proposal, review, and resource allocation process.
· The successful candidate will be expected to develop an extramurally-funded research and education program; forge strong interactions with local county partners and clientele, as well as UC colleagues; contribute to core research and extension goals established within ANR; and assist in establishing an innovative multi-disciplinary program in their field of expertise.
· Evaluate clientele problems and needs for Extension programs. Clientele include all public and private land decision-makers, cooperative extension advisors, farmers, growers, horticulturists, etc., professional service providers, private organizations, and public agencies.
· Serve as a source of support to general public concerns in food safety and security of vegetable crop production and plant pathology, Provide field-tested methods to monitor changes in vegetation, water quality and watersheds, wildlife to assess the result of management activities.
· Provide information to clientele through publications and web-based resources, activities located at Desert REC and Counties’ Cooperative Extension offices.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE: A Ph.D. in plant sciences, plant pathology or a closely related field is required. An educational background and/or work experience in vegetable crop production and practices, detection and environmentally sound, integrated approaches to management of plant diseases, pathogen biology and disease epidemiology, plant physiology, weed science, entomology, plant pathology, and/or soil science, is desirable. Extension experience is also desirable. Excellent written and oral communication skills are required.
A background investigation is required for the successful candidate, including fingerprinting and a criminal history clearance by the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
This position is subject to the requirements and compliance of the California’s Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act (CANRA). Employment within UC ANR is contingent upon securing written acknowledgement to comply with California law.