Assistant Specialist, Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics

Nature & Purpose

The position of Specialist has a narrow focus in a specialized area and provides technical or specialized expertise (e.g., with instrumentation and research equipment or with social science research methods) in the planning and execution of a research project. The Specialist stays apprised of emerging issues and problems and maintains technical competence in the designated area(s) of specialization. Within this defined area and when appropriate, the Specialist is expected to provide leadership, facilitate teamwork and develop collaborative relationships with colleagues and to supply input into the planning of research and educational programs.

Normally, Specialists do not have Principal Investigator (PI) status but may obtain permission by exception and/or collaborate with a PI in preparing research proposals for extramural funding. The Specialist is evaluated for merit and promotion using three basic criteria outlined below.

We seek a highly skilled and motivated individual to join us as an Assistant Specialist. The position will entail close collaboration with and assistance of Professor Kristin Kiesel and Co-PI Adeline Yeh (USDA-ERS). This is a 12-month position working on two projects. For the first project, the specialist will be contributing to developing written reports that (1) Reviews the existing literature of the economics of invasive species in U.S. fruit and vegetable production and (2) Assesses the economic performance of pest and disease management strategies and grower risk mitigation behavior.

For the second project, the specialist will be involved in (1) Conducting surveys and interviewing licensed Cottage Food Operators (CFOs) in California. (2) Completing a quantitative and qualitative analysis of collected data (3) Developing materials for education and training programs.

The position involved responsibilities that serve as excellent preparation for Ph.D. programs, industry or government positions in applied economics, public policy, or related fields. These include literature reviews, data processing and analysis, survey design, preparing written reports and giving oral presentations.

Project 1:

• Conducting a detailed literature review surveying studies that estimate or report:
  1) direct yield and quality losses;
  2) added management costs such as pesticides, labor, and sanitation;
  3) effects on pollinators and natural enemies;
  4) resistance development and broader industry-level impacts
• Developing economic metrics to estimate damages
• Contributing suggestions for future analyses of specific outbreaks

Project 2:

• Creating a survey and interview guide to collect novel and comprehensive data on licensed Cottage Food Operators (CFOs) in California
• Conducting a quantitative and qualitative analysis of participatory constraints, revenue-generating potential, and changes in overall household welfare for CFOs under different regulatory settings currently in place.
• Guiding the development of education and training programs (Master Food Preserver program) and inform state- and national-level policy design.

Project 1:

• Work with ERS personnel in the planning and conducting of the research plan.
• Participate in meetings with ERS as needed.
• Assisting in preparing the ERS report submission and peer-reviewed journal articles.

Project 2:

• Work with ANR collaborators and County Environmental Health departments in the planning and execution of data collection.
• Participate in meetings with ANR collaborators as needed.
• Assisting in preparing written documents and presentation materials.

Will work under the supervision of Kristin Kiesel (Professor, Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics).

This position requires possession of a Master’s degree in economics or related field, or possession of a relevant baccalaureate degree plus three or more years of research experience.

Please note:

It is inappropriate to appoint an individual with a Ph.D. in a discipline relevant or related to the research as an Assistant Specialist.

• Ability to read and analyze published papers in economics, and accurately understand their main results
• Ability to independently investigate solutions to technical and administrative problems
• Outstanding written and oral communication skills, with the ability to translate complex scientific findings into accessible, non-technical language (via publications or professional presentations)
• Ability to work well with multi-national teams, and communicate effectively with colleagues and faculty

This position requires possession of a Master’s degree in Economics or related field, at time of appointment, or possession of a relevant baccalaureate degree plus three or more years of research experience.