The UC Davis Strawberry Breeding Program seeks a motivated and highly organized Junior Specialist to join a dynamic, field-based research team working to develop the next generation of improved strawberry cultivars. This position offers the opportunity to contribute directly to one of the nation’s leading public strawberry breeding programs, supporting research that impacts growers, nurseries, consumers, and the broader strawberry industry.
The Junior Specialist will play an active role in greenhouse, nursery, and field operations, including organizing strawberry plants for transplanting, supporting planting and harvest activities, managing irrigation, maintaining greenhouse and field experiments, and scouting for pests, diseases, and plant health issues. The position will also help coordinate with seasonal labor crews to ensure that critical research activities are completed accurately, efficiently, and on schedule.
This role is ideal for someone who enjoys hands-on agricultural research, working outdoors, solving practical problems, and being part of a collaborative team. The Junior Specialist will help maintain plant inventories, support field trial logistics, collect and organize research observations, and contribute to the day-to-day success of breeding and germplasm maintenance in greenhouse and field settings.
More information about the UC Davis Strawberry Breeding Program is available at strawberry.ucdavis.edu.
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES AND DESIGNATED AREAS OF EXPERTISE
I. RESEARCH IN SPECIALIZED AREAS (90% EFFORT)
A. Collaborate with other research and extension personnel affiliated with research activities involving strawberry breeding, germplasm maintenance, and pathology. Evaluation of performance in research activities or in outreach activities as deemed applicable to the individual project in specialized areas, as documented by any of the following:
1) Publications that acknowledge the Specialist's significant and meaningful contribution to the work by leading nursery and greenhouse plant propagation, supporting greenhouse crossing efforts and germplasm maintenance, and efforts to improve plant health.
2) Publications on which the Specialist is a co-author, or otherwise acknowledged.
3) Other evidence (e.g., letters from collaborators or principal investigators) that work done by the Specialist contributed to publishable research.
4) Active dissemination of information (beyond the boundaries of the campus) through informal instruction, presentations, or other means stemming from the Specialist's research accomplishments such as internal reports, fields summaries, or trial notes.
5) Other evidence of recognized expertise may include formal documentation of intellectual effort and participation in publishable research activities, first authorship on publications/patents, presentation of research at regional/national meetings, invitations to review grant proposals and/or journal articles such as the plant genome, horticulture research, or horticulture science; invitations to participate in research projects, and/or service on advisory panels such as CA&ES Greenhouse committee, or other relevant committees.
a. Documentation of meaningful contributions through acknowledgments, authorship, supervisor evaluation, or collaborator feedback
B. Serve as a research coordinator for agricultural and crop production projects conducted by PIs in the department, as resources permit. Responsible for ensuring uninterrupted communication between individual laboratories, data management, and preparation of reports tailored to meet the needs of the requesting individual(s).
1) Accurate execution of greenhouse, nursery, and field research protocols
2) Timely organization, labeling, movement, and preparation of strawberry plants for transplanting
3) Participation in planting, transplanting, crop maintenance, harvest, and field trial activities
4) Maintenance of accurate plant inventories, field maps, greenhouse records, and trial documentation
5) Collection and entry of field, greenhouse, phenotyping, scouting, or plant health data
6) Irrigation monitoring, troubleshooting, and documentation in greenhouse and field settings
7) Routine scouting for pests, diseases, irrigation problems, plant stress, and other production issues
8) Communication of field and greenhouse observations to Allison Krill-Brown, the PI, or other research personnel
9) Assistance with preparation of supplies, plants, labels, maps, samples, and materials needed for research activities
10) Support for germplasm, seedling, foundation nursery, commercial nursery, and field trial activities
11) Demonstrated reliability, attention to detail, and ability to complete assigned research tasks independently under supervision
12) Effective collaboration with program staff, students, seasonal labor crews, growers, extension personnel, and research partners, without direct supervisory responsibility
C. Required to hold valid driver's license, having a driving record that is in accordance with local policies/procedures, and/or enroll in the California Employer Pull Notice Program
II. PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE AND ACTIVITY (5% EFFORT)
A. Participate in appropriate professional/technical societies or groups and other educational and research organizations, such as American Society of Horticulture Sciences, California Strawberry Commission.
B. Participate in scholarly conferences such as UC Davis Plant Sciences Symposium, National Association of Plant Breeders, North American Strawberry Growers Association.
III. UNIVERSITY AND PUBLIC SERVICE (5% EFFORT)
A. May maintain liaison and respond to the needs of various industry organizations, state and federal agencies, and other external groups on issues related to the area of expertise, such as the California Strawberry Commission.
Per UCD-APM 330, it is inappropriate to appoint an individual with a Master's or Doctoral degree in the relevant discipline or a baccalaureate degree plus three or more years of experience as a Junior Specialist. Candidates who hold a Masters or Doctoral degree will be disqualified from the Jr. Specialist position.
The Department will not offer visa sponsorship for this position. The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate that they are legally authorized to work in the United States.
