Job no: 520858
Work type: Tenure-Track Faculty
Location: Collier
Categories: Agriculture/Life Science/Vet Medicine, Education/Instructional, Research/Scientific/Grants, Artificial Intelligence
Department:60910000 - AG-SWFREC-IMMOKALEE

Classification Title:

Ast/Aso Prof

Job Description:

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is committed to creating an environment that affirms diversity across a variety of dimensions, including ability, class, ethnicity/race, gender identity and expression. We particularly welcome applicants who can contribute to such an environment through their scholarship, teaching, mentoring, and professional service. We strongly encourage historically underrepresented groups to apply.

If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352-392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF .

This is a 9-month tenure-accruing position that will be 70% research (Florida Agricultural Experiment Station) and 30% extension (Florida Cooperative Extension Service), available in the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, at the University of Florida. This assignment may change in accordance with the needs of the unit. The Soil Science AI position at the SWFREC is to provide a balance of innovative research and extension activities relating to production systems for citrus and vegetable crops. Artificial Intelligence will be utilized to enhance plant nutrient and water management, increase sustainable production, and protect the environment. Duties will include using cutting-edge computer AI models to integrate precision agricultural systems, sensor networks and data from crop, nutrient and water management, pedometrics, soil health and regenerative agriculture studies. The position will focus on a systems approach with shared data from multidisciplinary sources, state and national regulatory agencies, and local producers and environmental groups. A goal of the program will be the maintenance of the ecological balance between efficient agricultural production and protecting natural areas. The Extension program will provide stakeholders with the latest AI-enhanced crop, soil, nutrient and water management information through grower meetings, workshops, trade journal articles, websites, publications, smartphone apps and field demonstrations.

Tenure will accrue in the Soil and Water Sciences Department. The faculty member will participate actively in undergraduate and graduate education by chairing graduate committees, serving on graduate committees, supervising thesis and dissertation research, and publishing the results with their graduate students in refereed journals. The faculty member will actively seek contract and grant funding to support their program. The faculty member will engage in extension activities in their program area.

Faculty are encouraged to participate in professional development activities related to teaching and advising and may teach courses and seminars. Because of the IFAS land-grant mission, all faculty are expected to be supportive of and engaged in all three mission areas—Research, Teaching and Extension—regardless of the assignment split specified in the position description.

Background Information:

Computing resources for AI research at UF were recently upgraded with the installation of the HiPerGator 3 (AI) supercomputer in 2021. HiPerGator AI is now the second most powerful supercomputer in U.S. higher education (https://www.rc.ufl.edu/about/hipergator/).

The Southwest Florida Research and Education Center (SWFREC) is located one mile north of Immokalee and approximately 35 miles southeast of Fort Myers, Florida. Florida’s Gulf Coastline, located within 40 miles from the REC, has internationally recognized tourism destinations (Sanibel, Captiva, and Marco Islands Beaches). SWFREC supports twelve faculty programs and a staff of more than 90 people. Active research programs in vegetable production, water management, crop nutrition, pest management, plant pathology, agricultural economics, agricultural engineering, and citrus horticulture occur on 320 acres of land at SWFREC. The faculty and staff of SWFREC serve a vibrant commercial agricultural region.

Southwest Florida REC is situated at the intersection of agricultural, urban, environmental interests within the iconic landscapes of Everglades and Big Cypress National Preserve. Farm gate sales for the region average more than 1 billion dollar each year. The region has intensive production in citrus, beef cattle, fresh market vegetables, and sugarcane. The area has a unique blend of agriculture, a rapidly growing urban area, and protected ecosystems. Agriculture in the region faces environmental challenges including water supply and quality and competes with ever-increasing land values.

AI@UF

Expected Salary:

Commensurate with Education and Experience

Minimum Requirements:

A doctorate (foreign equivalent acceptable) in Soil Science, Data Science, Bioinformatics or a closely related discipline is required. Experience with machine learning, cloud computing, deep learning, Big Data visualization and modeling associated with cropping systems, soil processes including soil health, nutrient cycling, and environmental fate of agricultural nutrients and/or chemicals is preferred but not required. The candidate should have demonstrated success with designing and completing research projects, computer programming, and publishing results in peer-reviewed journals. The successful candidate should have demonstrated skills in verbal and written communication, research collaborations, and proven success with extramural funding. Candidates must be supportive of the mission of the Land-Grant system. Candidates must also have a commitment to IFAS core values of excellence, diversity, global involvement, and accountability.

Preferred Qualifications:

Post-doctoral experience is desirable.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

For full consideration, candidates should apply and submit materials by April 25, 2022. The position will remain open until a viable applicant pool is determined.

Nominations

Nominations are welcome. Nominations need to include the complete name and address of the nominee. This information should be sent to:

Please refer to Requisition # 520858

Arnold Schumann, PhD

Chair, Search and Screen Committee

University of Florida

Citrus Research and Education Center

700 Experiment Station Rd

Lake Alfred, FL 33850

Telephone: 863.956.1151

Web: https://crec.ifas.ufl.edu/

Electronic Mail: schumaw@ufl.edu

Application Information

Individuals wishing to apply should go online to https://explore.jobs.ufl.edu/en-us/job/520858 and submit:

Cover letter that states applicant’s interest in the position and qualifications relative to the credentials listed above

Curriculum vitae

Contact information (including email addresses) for 4 individuals willing to write letters of recommendation

Unofficial transcripts

Final candidate will be required to provide official transcript to the hiring department upon hire. A transcript will not be considered “official” if a designation of “Issued to Student” is visible. Degrees earned from an education institution outside of the United States are required to be evaluated by a professional credentialing service provider approved by National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), which can be found at http://www.naces.org/.

The University of Florida is an equal opportunity institution dedicated to building a broadly diverse and inclusive faculty and staff.

The University of Florida is An Equal Employment Opportunity Institution. If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352/392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800/955-8771 (TDD). Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the US. Searches are conducted in accordance with Florida's Sunshine Law.

Health Assessment Required:No

Advertised: 09 Mar 2022 Eastern Standard Time
Applications close: Open until filled