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SGMA Technical Assistance Community Educator Positions with the UCANR Small Farms Network

The University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) Small Farms Network is hiring five staff positions to provide technical assistance to small-scale and underserved farmers during the implementation of California’s Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA). These positions will join a new statewide effort under the UC ANR Small Farms Network to support small-scale farms in navigating the unique challenges presented by SGMA implementation at the local, regional, and state levels. Positions will be based in the following California county regions: 1) San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Merced Counties; 2) Madera and Fresno Counties; 3) Tulare and Kings Counties; 4) Santa Clara, San Benito, Santa Cruz, and Monterey Counties; 5) Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.

The SGMA Technical Assistance Community Educator for Small Farms (Community Educator IV) will provide technical assistance, extension education, and policy analysis to support small farms in sustainable groundwater management and participation in SGMA processes. Technical assistance will include connecting small-scale farmers to additional resources such as hydrogeological consulting services, legal services, and assistance with irrigation system analysis and water conservation. In each of the five county regions, the Community Educator will assess regional needs of small-scale farmers during SGMA implementation and determine appropriate methods for outreach, education, and technical assistance.

Position duties include visiting farms to provide individual technical assistance, developing educational materials, conducting outreach activities, workshops, and field days, and connecting farmers to resources from nonprofit and private sector partners. The Community Educator will also engage with local groundwater sustainability agencies (GSAs), including attending meetings, reviewing groundwater sustainability plans (GSPs), analyzing local and regional groundwater management policies, and providing information on the impacts of local policy decisions. Project activities will be coordinated with the UC ANR Small Farms Network, a program of UC SAREP, well as the Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) and other nonprofit and agency partner organizations.

Please contact Ngodoo Atume at natume@ucanr.edu with any questions.

To apply, please visit the links below for each region:

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status or other protected categories covered by the UC nondiscrimination policy.

 

Additional Small Farms Positions

Search for additional Small Farms positions on the UC ANR Jobs website. These positions are part of a statewide network working to increase extension and research support for small-scale, diversified, and socially disadvantaged farmers throughout California.