Assistant or Associate Professor of Urban Landscape Entomology - Florida Pest Management Association; FPMA Endowed

Position: Assistant or Associate Professor of Urban Landscape Entomology - Florida Pest Management Association (FPMA) Endowed
Classification

Title:

Ast/Aso Prof

Classification

Minimum Requirements:

Candidates for this rank shall hold the highest degree appropriate to their field. A candidate shall be expected to demonstrate successful experience pertinent to the position they are being recommended and have demonstrated qualities relevant to the goals of the academic unit in which they will be employed.

Job Description:

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is creating an environment that affirms community across all dimensions. If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call  or the Florida Relay System at  (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF .

Duties and Responsibilities

This is a 12-month, tenure-accruing position that is 60% research (Florida Agricultural Experiment Station) and 40% Extension (Florida Cooperative Extension Service) located at the Mid-Florida Research and Education Center (MREC), Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), University of Florida based in Apopka. This assignment may change in accordance with the needs of the unit. Tenure will accrue in the Entomology and Nematology Department.

The incumbent is expected to have access to funds from the Florida Pest Management Association (FPMA) Professorship endowment to support their Extension and research programs.

The UF/IFAS Mid-Florida Research and Education Center (MREC) in Apopka, Florida serves as a hub for research, teaching, and Extension programs supporting Florida's ornamental, landscape, urban and controlled environment agriculture industries. This variety of faculty, staff and programs provides a unique setting for interdisciplinary work within the MREC campus, with colleagues on the main UF campus and with faculty at other Centers around the state.

The UF/IFAS Turfgrass program, considered one of the best nationwide, is an integrated research, teaching, and Extension group of faculty in three departments and four locations (main campus and three Research and Education Centers). These faculty serve a large and dynamic turfgrass industry composed of lawn care professionals, sod producers, sports field managers, and golf course superintendents.

Expected Duties

The successful candidate will develop a nationally and internationally recognized, and extramurally funded, research and Extension program in urban landscape entomology, with emphasis on turfgrass and ornamental landscapes. Research themes should address insect pest biology, ecology, and integrated management strategies tailored to Florida systems across urban and suburban landscapes, including, residential and commercial landscapes, athletic fields, sod production, and golf courses.

Collaboration with colleagues across Florida, the southern region, and nationally and internationally is expected.

The program will emphasize sustainable pest management approaches that reduce reliance on pesticide inputs, improve plant health, and enhance environmental quality in urban landscapes. Efforts will also address pest dynamics associated with urbanization and changing environmental conditions.

This position addresses a critical statewide need driven by rapid population growth and urban expansion. It will support Florida's turfgrass, ornamental plant, and pest management industries by providing science-based solutions that enhance economic sustainability, environmental stewardship, and quality of life.

The incumbent will develop a comprehensive Extension program that provides statewide leadership in urban landscape entomology through UF/IFAS Extension. Extension programming must align with the needs of stakeholders, including the development and delivery of educational programs, workshops, and decision-support tools for sod producers, pest management professionals, landscape managers, arborists, golf course superintendents, county faculty, and the general public. The faculty member will contribute to relevant UF/IFAS Initiative Teams focused on agriculture, horticulture, and sustainable urban systems.

The faculty member is expected to publish research and Extension results in national and international refereed and non-refereed journals, present results at professional meetings, and collaborate with interdisciplinary faculty and industry partners to address emerging pest management challenges.

The successful candidate will participate actively in graduate education by chairing and serving on graduate committees, supervising thesis and dissertation research, and publishing research results with students, and engage in professional service, consistent with the IFAS land-grant mission. The faculty member will actively seek contract and grant funding to support his/her program. Involvement in national and international professional societies is expected.

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…