UC Cooperative Extension Vertebrate Pest Management Area Advisor: Tree, Field, and Vegetable Crops Serving California's

Position descriptionUC Cooperative Extension Vertebrate Pest Management Area Advisor:
Tree, Field, and Vegetable Crops Serving California's San Joaquin Valley

Position Overview The University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) invites applications for a UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Area Integrated Pest Management Advisor:
Vertebrate Pest Management of Tree, Field, and Vegetable Crops, serving California's San Joaquin Valley at the Assistant rank. The advisor will develop an innovative, multi-county applied research and extension education program that supports integrated management of rodent and other vertebrate pests in the eight-county area, including agricultural crops and post-harvest structures. The advisor will directly serve clientele in Fresno, Kern, Kings, and Tulare Counties, and collaborate with advisors in additional San Joaquin Valley Counties.

The Area Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Advisor will focus on research and education to effectively manage vertebrate pests in agricultural areas, with a special emphasis on rodents, including rats, mice, voles, squirrels, and gophers, that cause damage in production and post-production agriculture. For example, rats cause significant damage to almonds, with estimated crop, equipment, and post-harvest losses totaling $109-$311 million annually.

The Area IPM Advisor will develop IPM strategies to manage these pests, working closely with growers, Pest Control Advisors, California Department of Food and Agriculture, USDA Wildlife Services, Farm Bureau, and commodity groups. The advisor will directly serve clientele in four core counties (Fresno, Kern, Kings, and Tulare) and provide extension and outreach in additional San Joaquin Valley counties through invited extension talks and other collaborations with advisors in those counties.

Advisors are responsible for applied research and extending knowledge. Research activities are needs-based, mission-oriented, and focused on addressing community challenges. Extension activities are the educational practices advisors use to share research results directly with clientele and communities. Increased knowledge and understanding of science-based research help to support and promote the adoption of practices and technologies that solve problems. Extension methods may include individual consultations, presentations, organization of educational workshops and short courses, field demonstrations, and farm and site visits.

Information may also be disseminated via radio outreach, webinars, fact sheets, policy briefs, news blogs, and social media. Publications are expected in various formats, including newsletters, popular press articles, curricula, conference proceedings, and peer-reviewed publications. Successful research and extension programs result in new information that improves knowledge and understanding, and leads to the adoption of new skills, practices, and attitudes, and to changes in policies and environmental, health, agricultural, economic, and/or social conditions.

UCCE Advisors are evaluated through an academic advancement system based on four criteria: extending knowledge, applied research and creative activity, professional competence and activity, and University and public service.

Location headquarters
:
The position will be headquartered at West Side Research and Extension Center, 17353 W. Oakland Ave, Five Points, CA 93624.

Position Details California's Central Valley is the state's agricultural hub, home to vast orchards of almonds, pistachios, and walnuts; vineyards for table and wine grapes; tomatoes and leafy greens; rice, citrus, melons, dairies, and more. This concentration of high-value crops, food-handling facilities, and on-farm infrastructure…