Open date: July 1st, 2016

Next review date: October 14th, 2016
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: June 30th, 2017
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Description

This is a 100% Cooperative Extension (CE) appointment, an academic position in the Department of Human Ecology. The successful candidate will be expected to develop an externally funded, applied research program in community economic development, and to develop an extension education and outreach program that extends information to diverse clientele groups (e.g. elected officials, community-based organizations and economic development and/or planning agencies). This individual will be expected to work closely with academic and extension colleagues working in related fields (e.g., natural resource management, food systems, social inequality, public policy).

Specialists in Cooperative Extension (CE) provide statewide leadership to University colleagues, public agencies, community-based organizations, youth, consumers, and citizens in their area of expertise. The Specialist is expected to keep campus- and county-based University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) academics and clientele appraised of emerging issues and research findings and directions, conduct applied research and develop applications of research-based knowledge to specific problems, and provide educational leadership and technical information support for county-based CE academics and clientele. A Specialist in CE is a primary liaison between University research units and statewide clientele. The Specialist will be expected to provide leadership and participation in ANR Program Teams, workgroups, and Strategic Initiatives, work closely with CE academics toward the resolution of issues of regional and statewide importance, and coordinate statewide programming with UCCE and AES colleagues throughout California. The Specialist also identifies and considers the needs of all relevant major clientele groups in planning, developing and executing applied research and education programs. The Specialist is evaluated for merit and promotion using four areas of expectation that include Extension Education, Applied Research, Professional Competence and Activity, and University and Public Service.

Community economic development will be the focus of this position. Accordingly, applicants should have the professional background necessary to conduct original applied research on economic development strategies relevant to California communities.

A minimum requirement is a Ph.D. in an applied social science discipline. The successful candidate must have a record that documents productivity in research as evidenced by publications in peer-reviewed journals and a history of community-engaged scholarship and practice in the realm of economic development. The program is especially seeking candidates who have a record of public service addressing the needs of our increasingly diverse, unequal society and who has the potential to bring to the position the critical perspective that comes from their non-traditional education background or understanding of the experiences of historically underrepresented groups.

Expected Contributions

Extension Education

Key extension activities include but are not limited to:

• Provide statewide and national leadership in matters concerning sustainable economic development strategies for California communities, with a focus on the creation of diversified, equitable, and sustainable food systems.
• Plan, organize, and participate in programs designed to educate CE academics and other clientele including elected officials, community-based organizations and state agencies about tools and approaches for enhancing community economic development, particularly in rural areas and as related to innovation, entrepreneurship, and policy making in food, agriculture, and natural resources.
• Develop extension programs including print and electronic materials that address methods for supporting democratic, locally-driven economic development planning processes.
• Provide campus and county-based CE academics and others with up-to-date and extendible information on relevant community economic development strategies.

Mission-oriented Research

• Potential research areas include: entrepreneurship and innovation; valued-added approaches for promoting regional food and agricultural enterprises; policy analysis of food and agriculture regulations’ impact on community economic development opportunities and outcomes; and strategies for community organizations, farmers, consumers and other stakeholders to shape these regulations to support local goals (i.e. public engagement processes). An emphasis on community-based research that engages residents, particularly underrepresented groups, in meaningful roles is encouraged.
• The candidate will collaborate with academic senate faculty, campus and UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) academics and stakeholders on emerging issues in community economic development and develop and conduct research and extension initiatives to address sustainable community economic development strategies.
• We expect the successful candidate to publish their research findings in refereed journals such as Agriculture and Human Values, Rural Sociology, the Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development; Community Development; California Agriculture, and Journal of Extension, and in various other electronic and print venues such as California Agriculture or UC/ANR publications, among others.

Professional Competence and Activity

The appointee will be expected to participate in professional society activities including presenting papers at national and international meetings; reviewing manuscripts and grant proposals in his/her area of expertise; and establishing productive working relationships with scientists and extension personnel statewide, and in other states and countries. The goal would be to gain national and international recognition for scholarly contributions to the science and practices of community economic development, as he/she advances to the higher ranks in the UC system.

University and Public Service

The appointee will serve on committees that support the needs of the Department, University and ANR, including appropriate ANR Program Teams and Workgroups. The appointee may also serve on advisory councils and boards appropriate to the candidate’s area of expertise. The candidate should ultimately be recognized as a knowledgeable partner who can provide reliable information and build research-informed networks to address public issues in the state of California.

The duty station for this position will be at the UC Davis Campus and will be supported by the Department of Human Ecology. Specialists serve as an integral member of the faculty with appropriate support for office space and access to staff who will handle grant administration and personnel matters, among others.

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.

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 at work, home and the community.

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 Lecturer with Security of Employment (SLPSOE)), and Cooperative Extension Specialists.

UC Davis is a smoke- and tobacco-free campus effective January 1, 2014. Smoking, the use of smokeless tobacco products, and the use of unregulated nicotine products (e-cigarettes) will be strictly prohibited on any property owned or leased by UC Davis-- indoors and outdoors, including parking lots and residential space.

Requirements

DOCUMENTS

• Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
• Cover Letter (Optional)
• Statement of Research (Optional)
• Statement of Teaching (Optional)
• Statement of Contributions to Diversity - Diversity contributions documented in the application file will be used to evaluate applicants.
• Statement of Research and Extension interests and goals
• Ph.D. dissertation - summary or abstract
• Publication
• Publication
• Publication

REFERENCES

• 3-5 references required (contact information only)

How to apply

1. Create an ApplicantID
2. Provide required information and documents
3. If any, provide required reference information

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SOURCE: University of California, Davis