Job Description

POSITION OVERVIEW

Salary range: A reasonable estimate for this position is $ 53,100 at Step 1 or $56,600 at Step 2.

APPLICATION WINDOW

Open date: December 10, 2024

Next review date: Friday, Jan 10, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Friday, Jan 31, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
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.

POSITION DESCRIPTION

One position to be filled

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND DESIGNATED AREAS OF EXPERTISE
The Junior Specialist is expected to have interests in two or more of the following areas: sustainable plant health management, climate change-plant disease interactions, fungal biodiversity, fungal ecology, disease diagnostics, and / or science communication.

The incumbent must be a motivated, organized, and independently driven individual who is able to manage research projects and support staff. They must have excellent organizational skills and strong communication skills, including abilities for short-term and long-term time management. As a contributor to research projects, the incumbent is expected to contribute to scholarly manuscripts, outreach publications and reports, and present work at local, statewide and national meetings. Work will be conducted in the lab, in campus greenhouses, field research stations on campus, and on commercial farms. Crop foci include tomato, garlic, and onion, although some research projects encompass a wide range of allied rotation crops. The Swett lab is a supportive community strongly committed to mentoring and aims to position Junior specialists to be competitive for diverse career tracks or to graduate programs; career mentoring is included as part of this position.

Research (85%)
Diverse research project directions are available and can be adapted to the incumbent’s interests. Current research projects can be found at:
The incumbent of this position will be actively and significantly involved in publishable research activities through the following roles and duties:

• Assist the PI in discovery and documentation of new pathogens through analyses of unknown diseases present in vegetable and field crops in California, pathogen characterization community and preparation of outreach articles for trade journals and first reports for publication in peer reviewed journals.
• Assist the PI and research cooperators in development and establishment of field trials (experimental design, study set up), data collection, data analysis and interpretation.
• Contribution to resulting reports, grant proposals, outreach articles for trade journals, and scholarly manuscripts for peer reviewed journals.
• Under PI supervision, develop and conduct laboratory and greenhouse trials to test hypotheses relating to fungal pathogen ecology, biodiversity, and management through design, study installation, data collection and analysis, and preparation of scholarly manuscripts and reports—either relevant sections, or entire manuscripts, based on the extent of the contribution.
• Project development will involve active engagement of literature in project development and interpretation beyond that expected in a purely technical capacity, for hypothesis development, development and optimization of protocols, and development of introductory and discussion material in the preparation of manuscripts and reports.

Professional Competence (10%):

• The incumbent will present research at statewide outreach meetings, regional plant pathology meetings (e.g. Soil Borne Pathogens Conference), and national meetings (e.g. American Pathological Society Annual Meeting). Presentations will be delivered in poster and oral presentation formats. The incumbent will have opportunities to develop presentation abilities in laboratory meetings and the UC Davis plant pathology department retreat and other local (on-campus) events.
• The incumbent will be encouraged to have membership with the American Phytopathological Society, Pacific Division and national.

University and Public Service (5%):

• As part of UC service and service to the public, the incumbent will help serve critical disease diagnosis needs for crop producers as well as for research projects.
• As a component of university service, the incumbent will also be asked to serve on one or more department committees, such as a search committee for student research assistants.
• As a public service, the incumbent will also be encouraged to deliver oral presentations at public events, such as those held by California Department of Water Resources and Sonoma County Mycological Association meetings.
• As a full time lab member, this position includes responsibility for maintaining safety standards and meeting regulatory requirements, staff training and mentoring (undergraduate student technicians), and general laboratory maintenance.

QUALIFICATIONS

Basic qualifications (required at time of application)

This position requires a minimum of a Bachelor of Science in Plant Pathology or related discipline in hand by start date.

NOTE: The junior specialist rank is an entry level position; accordingly, it is inappropriate to hire applicants with advanced degrees in this field, or those with BS degrees and three years’ relevant work experience

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Document requirements

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

• Cover Letter (Optional)

• 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
  (Optional)

Reference requirements

• 3-5 required (contact information only)

Help contact: [email protected]

ABOUT UC DAVIS

UC Davis is a smoke and tobacco-free campus (

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.

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.

For the University of California's Affirmative Action Policy, please visit:

For the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy, please visit:

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:

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.

JOB LOCATION

Davis, CA

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