2021 Call for CE Positions

The 2021 CE Position Call was launched in August 2021 to identify UCCE Advisor and UCCE Specialist positions to be released over the next 12 months. The process has concluded.

The 2021-22 Release of UCCE Positions web page will list all the positions that have been released for recruitment as a result of this process. On March 14, 48 CE Advisor positions were released. CE Specialist positions will be announced in April 2022.  

Rebuilding the UC Cooperative Extension footprint, to address California's emerging and future needs, is made possible by the historic 2021-22 state budget increase. We are extremely grateful for the support and look forward to working with our partners to leverage these resources.

While this state budget increase will allow UC ANR to hire more people and achieve greater impact, we will continue seeking funding from additional sources to support the appropriate number of people with expertise needed to consistently and significantly improve the lives of all Californians. UC ANR continues to pursue non-traditionally funded positions as a complimentary strategy to grow the programmatic footprint. There are UC ANR resources on: how to develop co-funded positions and shared benefits of funding partnerships.

Process Information

Here is the link to the process flowchart with more details.

As in the past, we talked to our community partners and other stakeholders to identify the most pressing needs to prioritize the next rounds of hiring. We didn’t just refill past positions, instead we identified positions to address California’s emerging and future needs. Submittal groups, listed below, were expected to seek stakeholder input and work collaboratively across UC ANR units to make the best use of submission restrictions.

Review and consideration of UC ANR thematic cluster areas for hires was encouraged (see below) given building capacity in these areas is a priority to UC ANR.

Important Resources 

• CE Position Proposal Template (required)
• CE Position Template fillable PDF form (optional)

• CE Position Proposal Criteria

• UC ANR thematic cluster areas for hires: Fire Advisor Network; Food System Resilience Network; Health Resilience Network; Urban Community Development Network; Water Resiliency Network.
  
• 4-H Youth Development and Youth, Families and Communities Academic Position Guidance
• FAQs 

Those that submitted the position proposals:

• County Directors (1 position per county they oversee)
• Research and Extension Center Directors (1 position each Director)
• Statewide Program and Institute Directors (1 position each Director)
• Program Team Leaders (1 position each PT)
• UC Campus Provosts and/or Chancellors (# of positions varies, see link to process flowchart and details above)

For Advisor positions: The first four groups listed above submitted proposals, using the Universal Review System (URS) accessed from the ANR Portal. 

For Specialist positions: UC Campus Provosts or Chancellors emailed proposals to Wendy Powers. For any questions, please contact Wendy Powers or Mark Bell. For more information regarding how appointments will be handled between UC ANR and UC campuses other than UCB, UCD, and UCR, there is a Memorandum of Understanding and the APM guidelines. Program Team Leaders will submit their respective group's reviews through the URS. 

UCCE Programmatic Footprint Maps 

• Link to landing page with some helpful information
• Link to dashboard with maps
• These maps illustrate current positions for UCCE Advisors, UCCE Specialists, other UCCE Academics, and Community Educator Specialists. They also illustrate UCCE Advisor and Specialist positions under-recruitment.
• This information can illuminate gaps and needs to inform UCCE position proposal development and future hiring. 
• Google sheet for user questions & comments

For overall process questions, contact Katherine Webb-Martinez at katherine.webb-martinez@ucop.edu or (510) 987-0029.

For questions about using the Universal Review System (URS), contact Chris Hanson at christopher.hanson@ucop.edu.

Position Overview: The Environmental Horticulture Advisor will develop and extend research-based information on proper selection, placement, and care of trees and other landscape plants to mitigate impacts of climate change and enhance community health and quality of life in urban environments in Tulare, Fresno, Madera, and Kings Counties. A focus of the position is to identify drought, heat, pest and fire-resistant landscape plants suitable for residential, public and commercial environments that cool urban heat islands and bridge disparities in low-wealth, low tree canopy communities. Strategies that enhance habitat and pollinator populations; ecosystem biodiversity; abatement of air and water pollutants; carbon sequestration; erosion control; and other critical ecosystem services in urban environments are also a key focus.

Position Description: The Environmental Horticulture Advisor will develop and extend research-based information using a range of communication options to meet the needs of diverse audiences. The Advisor will develop and extend horticultural education to the “green industry” through direct education at seminars, workshops, and field days as well as through partnerships and collaborations with non-profit agencies and organizations. The Advisor will also provide oversight of the Master Gardener programs in Tulare, Fresno, Kings, and Counties and support the mission and goals of the statewide Master Gardener program. With over 1,200 Master Gardeners volunteers providing education and guidance to home gardeners in these counties, ensuring that accurate, objective information is provided through them to the gardening public is an essential role of this position.

The minimum of a Master’s degree in environmental, urban, or ornamental horticulture or a related field is required at the time of hire. Experience in the landscape or urban forestry industry developing multidisciplinary teams and programs that foster climate change mitigation through partnerships and collaborations is preferred. The successful candidate will align closely with a team of UC ANR Environmental Horticulture Advisors across the state as well as UC ANR statewide Specialists and allied department personnel throughout the UC and California State University systems.

Justification: This position is the #1 priority of the Environmental Horticulture Program Team and the four county CD in this region, filling it is critical for remedying the historical inequality in the distribution of environmental benefits that often result in low tree canopy coverage, hotter temperatures, and higher rates of ozone and other pollutants linked to greater incidences of chronic diseases in disadvantaged neighborhoods found within these specific counties. Due to climate change and urbanization, the rate, intensity, and duration of heatwaves in urbanized areas are increasing, as is the number of heat-related deaths. Members of underserved and disadvantaged communities are at high-risk of experiencing health-related consequences of climate change, further exacerbated by living in neighborhoods with low tree canopy cover and hotter conditions. Research and education provided through this position is aligned with the following public value statements:

• Protecting California’s natural resources
• Building climate-resilient communities and ecosystems
• Promoting healthy people and communities
• Developing a qualified workforce
• Developing an inclusive and equitable society

The position focus is relevant to all five ANR Strategic Initiatives (Endemic and Invasive Pests and Diseases; Sustainable Natural Ecosystems; Sustainable Food Systems; Healthy Families and Communities; and Water Quantity and Quality). Crucially, it impacts all urban Californians (95% of our population) by increasing the sustainability of our living urban environments and enhancing physical and mental health.