Postharvest Horticulture Physiologist

Position Overview

This 12‑month, tenure‑accruing position at the Assistant/Associate Professor level will be 30% teaching (College of Agricultural and Life Sciences) and 70% research (Florida Agricultural Experiment Station) in the Horticultural Sciences Department of the IFAS faculty at the University of Florida. The assignment may change in accordance with the needs of the unit. Tenure will accrue in the Horticultural Sciences Department. The faculty member will actively seek contract and grant funding to support the program and engage in Extension activities in their program area.

• Co‑teach a joint undergraduate/graduate course.
• Develop a new graduate‑level course in postharvest instrumentation.
• Contribute to a team‑taught plant biochemistry course.
• Guest lecture in related courses.

Activity will include mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral associates, and visiting scientists/scholars. The program will demonstrate teaching‑related scholarship through the production of learning tools and engagement in professional development activities related to teaching and advising. Faculty are encouraged to support and participate in the UF CALS Honors Program, distance education, and international education.

The 70% FTE research program emphasizes development of new information related to postharvest physiology of fresh fruits and vegetables grown in Florida. The position offers opportunities to explore the fundamental physiological and biochemical processes that regulate how fruits and vegetables from different production systems respond to their postharvest environment and treatments, influencing postharvest quality and shelf life. Research will span from preharvest practices through harvest and postharvest operations, studying the physiological and metabolic processes related to development, maturation, and senescence of horticultural crops.

It will involve evaluating the quality of harvested plant products and developing technological solutions, including AI, to enhance postharvest quality maintenance throughout the supply chain. The program collaborates with existing HOS research programs in postharvest genomics/genetics/technology, plant biochemistry, and with other disciplines such as plant pathology, food science and human nutrition, agricultural and biological engineering, and food and resource economics.

These foci enhance sustainability, reduce waste and losses in the postharvest value chain, and improve economic returns to industry stakeholders and affected communities.

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 this position description. The Extension program complements existing postharvest Extension programs based on the main campus and at the Indian River Research and Education Center for fresh fruit and vegetable crops, collaborating with county Extension agents in relevant field days, in‑service trainings, and authoring Extension (EDIS) publications.

• A doctorate (foreign equivalent acceptable) in horticultural science, plant physiology, or a closely related discipline.
• A strong record of publishing in refereed journals.
• Demonstrated skills in verbal and written communication, interpersonal relationships, and procurement of extramural funding.
• Supportive of the mission of the Land‑Grant system and commitment to UF core values.

• Postdoctoral experience in postharvest physiology and biochemistry.