Duties and Responsibilities

This is a 12-month tenure-accruing Assistant Professor position that will be 60% research (Florida Agricultural Experiment Station) and 40% extension (Florida Cooperative Extension Service), available at the West Florida Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.  This assignment may change in accordance with the needs of the unit.  Economic pressures on Florida agriculture are requiring new approaches to maintain economically viable agricultural production systems.  This position will utilize a systems approach to enhance and evaluate the sustainability, profitability, and delivery of ecosystem services of traditional agriculture (row crops) and emerging cropping systems.  Research and extension duties will focus on innovative approaches in areas such as: traditional row crops (peanut, cotton, corn, soybean); specialty and alternative crops for newly initiated and value added markets; bioenergy crops; precision agriculture; conservation tillage; efficient nutrient and water management in crop based systems; crop rotations; environmental issues; crop protection; and carbon sequestration.  The faculty member will utilize state-of-the-art techniques for soil, plant, and atmospheric analysis to generate information that will fill the gap in knowledge in cropping systems and disseminate this information through extension to end-users.  This person will work closely with existing IFAS agronomic teams and develop a strong, multi-state regional partnership with Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi.

Tenure will accrue in the Agronomy Department.  The faculty member will participate in graduate education by chairing graduate committees, serving on graduate committees, supervising thesis and dissertation research, supervising undergraduate research, and publishing the results with their graduate students.  The faculty member will seek contract and grant funding to support their program including operational costs, technical support, and equipment.  The faculty member will engage in extension activities in their program area and work with other IFAS specialists and county agents to deliver extension programs to the target audiences using field days, grower meetings, newsletters, EDIS (Electronic Data Information System) publications, and other electronic media.  The faculty member will participate in Extension Initiatives and Priority Work Groups related to cropping systems.   

Because of the IFAS land-grant mission, all faculty are expected to be supportive of and engaged in all three mission areas—Research, Teaching and Extension—regardless of the assignment split specified in the position description.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is committed to creating an environment that affirms diversity across a variety of dimensions, including ability, class, ethnicity/race, gender identity and expression. We particularly welcome applicants who can contribute to such an environment through their scholarship, teaching, mentoring, and professional service. We strongly encourage historically underrepresented groups to apply.

If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352-392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF .

Required:

An earned doctorate (foreign equivalent acceptable) in agronomy or a closely related discipline is required.  Candidates should have demonstrated skills in verbal and written communication, interpersonal relationships, and procurement of extramural funding.  Candidates must be supportive of the mission of the Land Grant system.  Candidates must also have a commitment to IFAS core values of excellence, diversity, global involvement, and accountability.  Candidates must be able to work on interdisciplinary team projects and to work with diverse audiences.

Preferred:

Postdoctoral experience is desirable. Experience with cooperative extension or public scientific communication is also desirable.