Skip to main content

Assistant Professor of Strawberry Breeding and Genetics and Director Elect of the UC Davis Strawberry Breeding Program

We are no longer accepting applications for this recruitment. Browse open recruitments

Position description

The Department of Plant Sciences in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of California, Davis is recruiting an Assistant Professor of Strawberry Breeding and Genetics and Director-Elect of the Strawberry Breeding Program. This is an academic-year (9-month), tenure-track position with teaching, research, outreach/engagement, and service responsibilities. The appointee is expected to conduct mission-oriented research and outreach/engagement activities relevant to the California Agricultural Experiment Station (https://caes.ucdavis.edu/research/aes). This is an outstanding opportunity to lead the prestigious Strawberry Breeding Program of the University of California. We seek an exceptional candidate for this role, from either academia or industry, who is committed to developing and deploying cutting-edge plant breeding technology to ensure the continued development of successful commercial cultivars of strawberry with enhanced disease resistance, quality, and climate resilience for both field and indoor growing systems.

UC Davis is committed to hiring leading research faculty with an outstanding commitment to teaching, research, and service who are from and/or will promote historically underrepresented and marginalized communities and who will address the needs of our increasingly diverse state and student population. Successful candidates will help advance UC Davis’ strategic goal of improving access and building an inclusive community for all marginalized populations.

Responsibilities:
The Department of Plant Sciences is seeking applicants that focus on fundamental and applied plant breeding, genomics, and genetics to enable continued success of the Strawberry Breeding Program. The appointee is expected to lead the Strawberry Breeding Program, following a two year overlap with the current breeder to ensure a smooth transition, and release commercial cultivars. The breeding program is well supported for cultivar development; additional competitively funded research will increase our understanding of strawberry genomics and genetics and ensure the program continues to release successful cultivars. The appointee will be responsible for teaching all or part of undergraduate and graduate classes in plant breeding, genetics, statistics, or quantitative genetics as assigned by the department chair, e.g., PLS 120 (Applied Statistics in Agricultural Science); PLS 12 (Plants and Society); and/or PLS225 (Quantitative Genetics). The typical teaching load is equivalent to two undergraduate courses per year (on a quarter system) and additional graduate teaching. Participation in and development of outreach/engagement programs, and performance of departmental and university service is expected. This hire is of key strategic importance to the department and campus, with significant out-facing interactions with multiple stakeholders in California and globally, across the strawberry industry.

Qualifications:

Required qualifications include Ph.D. or equivalent in plant science, breeding, genetics, genomics, physiology, developmental biology, or related field at the time of appointment; experience, productivity, and creativity in plant breeding, crop improvement, quantitative genetics, plant biology, or related field; a strong commitment to teaching and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students; interest in, understanding of, and commitment to enhancing diversity by including groups that are under-represented in the academy through extension education, research, and/or service as stated in the candidate’s Statements of Contributions to Diversity; evidence of communication skills and collegiality consistent with effective departmental, campus and professional citizenship; outstanding verbal and written communication skills; interest in, understanding of, and commitment to the land-grant mission; and excellent interpersonal skills and an eagerness to work with an interdisciplinary team in a collegial atmosphere.

Preferred qualifications include post-doctoral experience; success in scientific publication; experience in cultivar development; experience or potential to obtain extramural support for research activities; experience or the potential to teach courses in crop improvement, quantitative genetics, genetics and genomics, and/or crop production and management; experience in leadership and organizational skills to manage a large, complex program with both fundamental and applied research outputs; demonstrated ability or potential to build relationships with stakeholders, state and federal agencies, non-profit organizations, and the private sector; and experience working internationally.

Salary:
Commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Applications:
Application materials must be submitted via the following website: https://recruit.ucdavis.edu. The position will remain open until filled. To ensure consideration, applications should be received by 15 March 2022.

Required application materials include: 1) curriculum vitae including publication list, 2) up to three publications, 3) transcripts if the applicant is within five years of Ph.D. degree, 4) statement of research accomplishments, 5) statement of teaching accomplishments and philosophy, 6) statement of future research plans relevant to the Strawberry Breeding and Genetics Program, 7) Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and 8) the names, addresses, including e-mail, of four professional references not at UC Davis and an Authorization to Release Information form Additional inquiries should be directed to Dr. Charles Brummer, ecbrummer@ucdavis.edu, chair of the search committee, or Dr. Gail Taylor, chair of the Department of Plant Sciences (gtaylor@ucdavis.edu).

The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application, and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through academic excellence, where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in a safe and secure environment, free of violence, harassment, discrimination, exploitation, or intimidation. With this commitment, UC Davis conducts a reference check on all first-choice candidates for Academic Senate Assistant Professor or Lecturer with Potential for Security of Employment, Steps 4, 5, or 6, or Acting Professor of Law positions. The reference check involves contacting the administration of the applicant’s previous institution(s) to ask whether there have been substantiated findings of misconduct that would violate the University’s Faculty Code of Conduct. To implement this process, UC Davis requires all applicants for any open search for assistant professor to complete, sign, and upload the form entitled “Authorization to Release Information” into RECRUIT as part of their application. If an applicant does not include the signed authorization with the application materials, the application will be considered incomplete, and as with any incomplete application, will not receive further consideration. Although all applicants for faculty recruitments must complete the entire application, only finalists considered for Academic Senate Assistant Professor or Lecturer with Potential for Security of Employment, Steps 4, 5, or 6, or Acting Professor of Law positions will be subject to reference checks.

UC Davis supports Family-friendly recruitments. UC Davis covers travel expenses for a second person to accompany an invited faculty recruitment candidate who is a mother (or single parent of either gender) of a breast or bottle-feeding child less than two years of age.
http://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/programs/work-life/index.html

UC Davis recognizes the necessity of supporting faculty with efforts to integrate work, family and other work-life considerations. To recruit and retain the best faculty, the campus sponsors a Work Life
Program that provides programs and services that support faculty as they strive to honor their commitments to work, home and community. http://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/programs/worklife/index.html

UC Davis was ranked #1 in 2016 on Forbes Magazine list of the 13 most important STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) universities for women, and is actively seeking the U.S. Department of Education’s “Hispanic Serving Institution” designation,. Davis celebrates the multi-cultural diversity of its student body by creating a welcoming and inclusive environment for students through such organizations and programs as the Center for African Diaspora Student Success; the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual Resource Center; Casa Cuauhtémoc Chicano-Latino Theme House; Asian Pacific American Theme House; ME/SA (Middle astern/South Asian) living-learning community; Multi- Ethnic Program (MEP); Chicano/Latino Retention Initiative; and Native American Theme Program.

The UC Davis Partner Opportunities Program (POP) is a service designed to support departments and deans’ offices in the recruitment and retention of outstanding faculty. Eligibility for POP services is limited to full-time Academic Senate Ladder Rank faculty (including Lecturers with Security of Employment (LSOE), Lecturers with Potential Security of Employment (LPSOE), Senior Lecturers with Security of Employment (SLPSOE)), and Cooperative Extension Specialists.

Qualifications

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

A. Ph.D. or equivalent in plant science, breeding, genetics, genomics, physiology, developmental biology, or related field at the time of appointment.
B. Experience, productivity, and creativity in plant breeding, crop improvement, quantitative genetics, plant biology, or related field.
C. Strong commitment to teaching and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students.
D. Interest in, understanding of, and commitment to enhancing diversity by including groups that are under-represented in the academy through extension education, research, and/or service as stated in the candidate’s Statements of Contributions to Diversity.

E. Evidence of communication skills and collegiality consistent with effective departmental, campus and professional citizenship.
F. Outstanding verbal and written communication skills.
G. Interest in, understanding of, and commitment to the land-grant mission.
H. Excellent interpersonal skills and an eagerness to work with an interdisciplinary team in a collegial atmosphere.

Preferred qualifications (other preferred, but not required, qualifications for the position)

I. Post-doctoral experience strongly preferred.
J. Demonstrated success in scientific publications.
K. Experience in cultivar development.
L. Demonstrated experience or potential to obtain extramural support for research activities.
M. Experience or the potential to teach courses in crop improvement, quantitative genetics, genetics and genomics, and/or crop production and management.
N. Experience in leadership and organizational skills to manage a large, complex program with both fundamental and applied research outputs.
O. Demonstrated ability or potential to build relationships with stakeholders, state and federal agencies, non-profit organizations, and the private sector.
P. Experience working internationally.

Application Requirements

Document requirements
  • Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.

  • Cover Letter

  • Statement of Research

  • Statement of Teaching

  • Statement of future research plans relevant to the Strawberry Breeding and Genetics Program

  • Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion documented in the application file will be used to evaluate applicants. Visit https://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/faculty-equity-and-inclusion for guidelines about writing a statement and why one is requested.

  • Authorization to Release Information form - Completed and signed Authorization to Release Information form required. https://aadocs.ucdavis.edu/your-resources/forms-and-checklists/forms/ARF.pdf
    The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application, and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through academic excellence, where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in a safe and secure environment, free of violence, harassment, discrimination, exploitation, or intimidation. With this commitment, UC Davis conducts a reference check on all first-choice candidates for Academic Senate Assistant Professor or Lecturer with Potential for Security of Employment, Steps 4, 5, or 6, or Acting Professor of Law positions. The reference check involves contacting the administration of the applicant’s previous institution(s) to ask whether there have been substantiated findings of misconduct that would violate the University’s Faculty Code of Conduct. To implement this process, UC Davis requires all applicants for any open search for assistant professor to complete, sign, and upload the form entitled “Authorization to Release Information” into RECRUIT as part of their application. If an applicant does not include the signed authorization with the application materials, the application will be considered incomplete, and as with any incomplete application, will not receive further consideration. Although all applicants for faculty recruitments must complete the entire application, only finalists considered for Academic Senate Assistant Professor or Lecturer with Potential for Security of Employment, Steps 4, 5, or 6, or Acting Professor of Law positions will be subject to reference checks.

  • Publication #1

  • Publication #2 (Optional)

  • Publication #3 (Optional)

  • Transcripts - Transcripts required if the applicant is within five years of Ph.D. degree
    (Optional)

Reference requirements
  • 4-6 required (contact information only)

Extramural letters will be solicited via Recruit after the initial review date has passed. Applicants are required to provide four references from outside UC Davis. They may also provide two additional references, who may be from within UC Davis, if they wish.

Apply link: https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF04689

Help contact: craubach@ucdavis.edu

About UC Davis

UC Davis is a smoke and tobacco-free campus (http://breathefree.ucdavis.edu/).

We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, and particularly encourage applications from members of historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women, individuals’ with disabilities, veterans, LGBTQ community members, and others who demonstrate the ability to help us achieve our vision of a diverse and inclusive community. For the complete University of California nondiscrimination and affirmative action policy see: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4000376/NondiscrimAffirmAct

Under Federal law, the University of California may employ only individuals who are legally able to work in the United States as established by providing documents as specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Certain UC Davis positions funded by federal contracts or sub-contracts require the selected candidate to pass an E-Verify check. More information is available at: http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify

The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) is committed to inclusive excellence by advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in all that we do. UC Davis celebrates the multi-cultural diversity of its community by creating a welcoming and inclusive environment demonstrated through a variety of resources and programs available to academics, staff, and students. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are core values of UC Davis that are embedded within our Principles of Community and are tied with how to best serve our student population. Our excellence in research, teaching, and service can best be fully realized by members of our academic community who share our commitment to these values, which are included in our Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Vision, our strategic plan: “To Boldly Go,” our Principles of Community, the Office of Academic Affairs’ Mission Statement, and the UC Board of Regents Policy 4400: Policy on University of California Diversity Statement. UC Davis is making important progress towards our goal of achieving federal designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion offers a plethora of resources on their website, and the Office of Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (HEDI) has outlined similar goals in their Anti-Racism and DEI Action Plan.” There are a plethora of links available on the About Us webpage where you can learn more about our Administration, Diversity and Inclusion, Rankings, Locations, Native American Land Acknowledgement, Sustainability, Visiting UC Davis, UC Davis Health, and Campus Safety.

The university is consistently ranked among the top institutions in the world for campus sustainability practices by the UI Green Metric World University Rankings. UC Davis is focused on achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions and repeatedly shown its commitment to preserving a healthy and sustainable environment for generations to come.

As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.

2023 Forbes Award: Best Employers for Diversity 2023 Forbes Award: Best Employers for Women

Job location

Davis