UC Cooperative Extension Area Agricultural Workforce Development Advisor San Joaquin Valley; AP

The University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) invites applications for a UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Area Advisor for Agricultural Workforce Development at the assistant rank. The Agricultural Workforce Development Advisor will play a critical role at the intersection of education, research, technology, and on-the-ground agricultural practice. The advisor will develop an innovative applied research and extension education program that develops and evaluates strategies for connecting the agricultural workforce in the northern San Joaquin Valley with emerging technologies that strengthen the skills, safety, and resilience of the region’s current and future agricultural workers.

Clientele will include the agricultural industry, local community colleges, workforce boards, vocational programs, and other community stakeholders. This advisor will serve clientele in San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Merced counties.

UCCE San Joaquin County, 2101

E. Earhart Ave., Suite 200, Stockton, CA

The advisor will focus on workforce development that prepares current and future agricultural sector employees to use emerging technologies such as drones, robotics, autonomous vehicles, and artificial intelligence. Collaborating closely with UC ANR’s statewide network of academics, growers, industry partners, and community organizations, the advisor will identify, implement, and evaluate workforce development strategies such as training and extension materials that prepare workers to use technologies that support the region's agricultural industries while enhancing worker productivity and well-being.

A central component of the role is advancing agricultural technologies that support the economic viability of local agriculture and its workforce. Preparing the next generation of agricultural workers amid rapidly evolving technologies will be central to the applied research and extension program. As farms increasingly adopt automation, robotics, precision agriculture tools, and new chemical and biological inputs, the advisor will help to anticipate opportunities for workforce development.

The advisor will collaborate with educators, engineers, regulatory agencies, and industry leaders to ensure that economic and safety considerations are integrated into guidelines for next-generation equipment and practices.

This position will conduct applied research to evaluate workforce development strategies and safety interventions. This may include assessing the effectiveness of technologies for use in a broad array of commodities produced in the San Joaquin Valley, identifying barriers to technology adoption, generating data to inform policy and best practices, conducting regional workforce needs assessments, improving worker well-being, and designing targeted reskilling programs for existing workers.

The advisor will partner with local educational programs to equip the incoming workforce with modern ag‑tech training and certifications, ensuring their readiness for the industry. The advisor will also contribute to statewide and national conversations on how emerging agricultural technologies impact farm economics, workforce innovation, and safety standards. By bridging science, education, and real‑world application, the Area Agricultural Workforce Development Advisor will help support innovative agricultural practices and improve on‑farm economics through developing the agricultural workforce of the future.

This position will serve clientele in San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Merced counties.

The advisor directly reports to the San Joaquin County Director, with input from other area directors in the…