The Department of Plant Sciences at the University of California, Davis, seeks an Assistant Professor of Cooperative Extension in Invasive Weed and Restoration Ecology. Faculty in the Department are engaged in developing and disseminating comprehensive basic and applied knowledge regarding all aspects of plant sciences related to managed and natural ecosystems. This position fills a key gap in research and Extension leadership in weed management and ecological restoration in rangelands, wildlands and natural areas.
Rangelands, wildlands and natural areas span about 75% of California's land area and provide critical economic benefits and ecological services. The spread of weedy and invasive plants has altered these systems, severely impacting ecosystem health and agricultural productivity. In the United States, the annual financial impact of invasive plants in rangelands alone has been estimated to be $2 billion. In recent years, funding for ecological restoration has steadily increased for natural and working landscapes. However, an incomplete understanding of the interactions among invasive plants, available restoration practices, and spatial and temporal environmental constraints that affect success/failure has been a fundamental challenge to restoring degraded and highly-invaded landscapes.
Position Opportunities
- Conduct original, applied research at the intersection of restoration ecology and weed science on working and natural landscapes, ranging from managed to wildland ecosystems (e.g., rangelands, grasslands, woodlands, riparian areas).
- Integrate and apply lessons learned from experimentation and innovation across scales to develop cost-effective restoration and land management practices.
- Provide statewide and national Extension leadership, and share novel, actionable research with land managers, policy makers, conservationists and other key stakeholders via a strong Extension network.
- Serve as a critical network link between Agricultural Experiment Station faculty and Cooperative Extension advisors, as well as with diverse stakeholders (federal and state agencies, regional land managers, non-governmental organizations) throughout California.
For full details and to apply: https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF04766.
To ensure consideration, applications should be received by April 30, 2022.
Contact Search Committee Chair, Dr. Leslie Roche, lmroche@ucdavis.edu, or Department Chair, Dr. Gail Taylor, gtaylor@ucdavis.edu.
