2023-24 Call for Cooperative Extension Positions

The 2023-24 Call for Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Positions was announced in September 2023. On May 24, 2024, Vice President Humiston announced the positions to be released, see the ANR Update blog. UC ANR doesn’t just refill past positions, instead identifies priority positions to address the most pressing needs, including California’s emerging and future needs.

The final list of the approved 29 Advisor positions and 20 Specialist positions are listed in the tables below. The UCCE Advisor positions will be released for recruitment in small batches over the next several months to facilitate engagement of various selection committees. The UCCE Specialists will be released to campuses for recruitment upon completion of the Memorandums of Agreements (MOAs) currently being renewed between UC ANR and the campuses/host sites.

Rebuilding the UCCE footprint continues to be a priority for UC ANR to provide the expertise needed to improve the lives of all Californians consistently and significantly. The historic 2021-22 state budget increase allowed UC ANR to release over 100 UCCE academic positions to date. UC ANR also continues to pursue non-traditionally funded positions as a complementary strategy to grow the programmatic footprint. There are UC ANR resources on: how to develop co-funded positions and shared benefits of funding partnerships.

NEW ADVISOR POSITIONS

NEW SPECIALIST POSITIONS

Process Information

Link to the 2023-24 Call for Positions process flowchart with more details

Resources

• Link to CE Position Proposal Template (required)
• Link to CE Position Proposal Criteria
• Link to FAQs
• Recorded webinar about the process for Program Team Leaders and campus leadership

Submittal groups were expected to work collaboratively across the UC ANR network and seek external stakeholder input. See list below.

For CE Advisor Positions:

• County Directors work with the Research and Extension Center System in their regional teams. Link to list of County and REC Directors
• Regional teams of groups listed above prioritize 6 positions per each of the 5 regional teams (listed in process PPT linked above).

For CE Specialist Positions:

• Research and Extension Centers - at least 3 for the system
• UC Campus Provosts and/or Chancellors ~18 in total; encouraging 1 per priority idea identified by each UC ANR Program Team and that align with campus academic planning priorities

Submission

• Regional team leads for County Directors and REC Directors: Use the Universal Review System (URS) accessed from the ANR Portal.
• UC Campus Provosts or Chancellors: Email proposals directly to UC ANR Associate Vice President of Research and Cooperative Extension, Brent Hales at Brent.Hales@ucop.edu. For any questions, please contact Brent. 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 Understandingand the APM guidelines. The proposals will be added to URS by UC ANR so they appear on this web page, and display as "submitted by" Brent Hales.

UCCE Programmatic Footprint Maps:

• Link to maps
• These maps illustrate current positions for UCCE Advisors, UCCE Specialists, other UCCE Academics, and Community Educators, as well as the UCCE Advisor and Specialist positions under-recruitment. Secondary data layers provide county level data with relevant information that, when coupled with local knowledge, can help illuminate gaps/needs to inform UCCE position proposal development and future hiring.
• Recording to maps overview and demo (30 minutes)

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 Title: Area fruit postharvest advisor in the San Joaquin Valley

Developed and proposed by: Ashraf El-kereamy (Director, Lindcove Research and Extension Center). County Directors for Fresno, Madera, Tulare and Kings Counties and Kern County.

Position:  The Area fruit and vegetable postharvest advisor will cover Fresno, Madera, Tulare and Kings Counties and Kern County. The Advisor will establish a postharvest research and extension program in the central valley to address and improve the postharvest practices for various fruit of fruit trees and vegetables. The position requires a master’s degree or higher in horticulture, pomology, crop physiology, plant biology, or related disciplines, and experience in field research and extension service. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in plant science with a focus on fruit postharvest storage, handling, and shipping. The role involves conducting research, developing innovative strategies, and implementing best practices to optimize postharvest processes, minimize losses, and maintain the quality and safety of fruits from harvest to consumption. The Postharvest advisor will collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to improve efficiency, sustainability, and profitability in the agricultural supply chain. This position will be under the supervision of the LREC Director and headquartered at Lindcove Research and Extension Center where laboratory and office space will be available.

Justification: In today's rapidly evolving agricultural landscape, the journey of a crop from field to fork is a complex and delicate process. While modern agricultural practices have significantly increased productivity, ensuring the quality, safety, and longevity of harvested crops remains a critical challenge. Postharvest losses due to spoilage, damage, and deterioration not only have significant economic implications but also contribute to food insecurity and environmental degradation. The central valley is the home of the agriculture production nation-wide supplying the US and worldwide with various fruit and vegetables. California is a major exporter of fruits and vegetables, contributing significantly to the state's economy and international trade. In recent years, California's agricultural exports, including fruits and vegetables, have amounted to tens of billions of dollars annually. Fruits such as grapes, citrus fruits, berries, and tree nuts, as well as vegetables like lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, are among the top commodities exported from the state. By developing and implementing best practices for postharvest management, the Postharvest advisor will help to minimize losses, extend shelf life, and maximize the value of agricultural products. Moreover, by reducing postharvest losses at domestic, national and international level, we can not only enhance food security and affordability but also reduce the environmental footprint associated with agriculture.

Extension: The postharvest advisor will play a vital role in collaborating with the agricultural industry to optimize postharvest processes, enhance product quality, and minimize losses throughout the supply chain. By leveraging their expertise in plant science, physiology, and technology, postharvest advisor will work closely with industry stakeholders, including growers, processors, distributors, shippers, and retailers, to address key challenges and capitalize on opportunities for improvement. The postharvest advisor will provide science-based information about postharvest issues. This information will be disseminated through workshops, field meetings, webinars, newsletters, industry media outlets, phone calls, and online and social media tools, as is appropriate to the target audiences.

Research: The advisor will develop an applied research program focused on improving the postharvest practices of various commodities as needed. The research program will address current and emerging challenges affecting the postharvest supply chain. This includes, but is not limited to, postharvest technologies, extending shelf life, export requirements, cold and modified atmosphere storage, biodegradable packaging, and pesticide maximum residue limits (MRL). Additionally, the advisor will work closely with shippers to optimize shipping conditions and maintain fruit quality while reducing storage and shipping costs. Research results will be published in commodity board reports, ANR peer-reviewed publications, academic peer-reviewed journals, and presented at professional society meetings.

UC ANR Network: The research and extension efforts of this position will be dedicated to advancing postharvest technologies in fruit growing within the Central Valley. By providing expertise currently lacking among UCANR advisors, this role as the first postharvest advisor position will significantly enhance the impact of UC ANR throughout the state by disseminating innovative research and extension resources to fellow advisors. The advisor will collaborate closely with Cooperative Extension (CE) specialists on various topics, including postharvest, pathology, tree physiology, and automation, as well as Agricultural Experiment Station faculty involved with these commodities. Additionally, partnerships will be fostered with experts at UC Riverside, and other relevant disciplines at the Davis, Merced, and Berkeley campuses. Access to existing postharvest storage facilities at the Lindcove Research and Extension Center and the Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center will support the activities of this position.

Network External to UC ANR: The postharvest advisor is expected to develop strong connections with agencies at the state (California  Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR)), and county (Agricultural Commissioners, Farm Bureaus) levels based on prioritized clientele needs, as well as research groups outside of UC (e.g. USDA, CSUs and community colleges) and industry groups (California Citrus Quality Council, Citrus Research Board, California Table Grape Commission, American Pistachio Growers, The California Agricultural Export Council, CA Tomato Research Institute, CA Melon Research Board, and other commodities boards). Collaboration will be fostered by involvement in national and international postharvest research networks.

Support: The postharvest advisor will be based at the Lindcove Research and Extension Center, where they will have access to office space, a modern laboratory, postharvest facilities (including packline and cold storage space), a vehicle, extension space, and citrus fields. Additionally, the advisor will have the opportunity to utilize the postharvest facilities at the Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, strategically located near the agricultural industry hub of the Central Valley. The successful candidate is expected to secure grants and utilize that support to introduce new postharvest technologies, further enhancing the capabilities and impact of their research and extension efforts.

Other support: The advisor will be able to leverage research and extension funds from traditional funding agencies including USDA, Department of Pesticide Regulation, and CDFA’s Specialty Crop Block, and various commodities boards.

Headquarters and Coverage Area: This position will be headquartered at Lindcove Resrch and extension center. This position will also serve Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare and kern counties.