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March 10, 2005
The University of
California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources
(ANR) has announced it will fill 11 academic positions in 2005
to meet the most critical needs and opportunities in the state.
Its workforce has been badly depleted in recent years by state
budget cuts and retirements.
"We are down about 50 county-based positions from where we were
two years ago as a result of the state budget downturn," said
Richard Standiford, ANR associate vice president. "These new
positions show our commitment to rebuilding our programs and
serving the people of California."
"They are funded using dollars freed by recent retirements of
Division employees," Standiford continued "and careful
consideration was given to research and extension priorities
expressed by UC Cooperative Extension stakeholders in defining
the positions." For example, the air quality advisor, to be
housed at the Fresno County UCCE office, will be a new position,
funded with reallocated dollars, and serving a four-county area
experiencing real challenges in attaining air quality standards.
"It is unique for us to have an issues-based academic position,"
Standiford said. "We have strong air quality research programs
at UC Davis, UC Berkeley and UC Riverside. We need an advisor to
link the research with issues that are affecting agriculture and
human health in the southern San Joaquin Valley."
The eleven county-based academic Cooperative Extension advisor
positions are spread over the Division's three regions:
Central Coast and South Region:
- Strawberry and vegetable
crops farm advisor -- Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo
counties
- Nutrition, family and
consumer sciences advisor and county director -- Contra
Costa County
- Nutrition, family and
consumer sciences advisor -- Santa Clara County
- Vegetable crops advisor
and director for the Desert Research and Extension Center --
Imperial County
Central Valley Region:
- Dairy farm advisor --
Tulare County
- Area air quality advisor
(five-year term) -- Fresno, Kings, Tulare and Kern counties
- 4-H youth development
advisor -- Yolo County
- Nutrition, family and
consumer sciences advisor -- Fresno County
- Vegetable crops advisor --
San Joaquin County
North Coast and Mountain
Region:
- Natural resources advisor
and county director -- Inyo and Mono counties
- 4-H youth development
advisor -- Lake and Mendocino counties
Among the 11 jobs are two with
partial county director responsibilities and one with partial
responsibility to direct a research and extension center.
"This ties in with what we heard at listening sessions we held
throughout the state last year," Standiford said. "Our clientele
believe we need to have a strong leadership presence in every
county."
Job descriptions, salary ranges and qualifications will be
posted on the Division's employment opportunities Web page (http://ucanr.org/jobs.shtml)
in the coming weeks. |
