Assistant Professor of Plant Genetics and Director of the C. M. Rick Tomato Genetics Resource Center

Position Overview:

The salary range for this position is $102,200 - $125,400 (annual). “Off-scale salaries” and other components of pay, i.e., a salary that is higher than the published system-wide salary at the designated rank and step, are offered when necessary to meet competitive conditions, qualifications, and experience.

The Department of Plant Sciences in the College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences at the University of California, Davis is recruiting an Assistant Professor of Plant Sciences with a preferred emphasis in tomato genetics, who will also serve as Director of the C. M. Rick Tomato Genetics Resource Center (https://tgrc.ucdavis.edu/) . This is an academic year (9-month), tenure track Assistant Professor position that includes an appointment in the California Agricultural Experiment Station (AES). Faculty members who hold an Agricultural Experiment Station appointment have a responsibility to conduct research and outreach relevant to the mission of the California Agricultural Experiment Station. Participation in outreach programs and performance of University service are also expected.

The appointee is expected to establish a competitively funded research program in plant genetics to address critical or emerging issues in genetic diversity, evolution, and breeding of tomato, including but not limited to: broadening the genetic base of tomato through wide hybridization; genetic analysis of plant responses to temperature extremes, drought or salinity; genetic analysis and manipulation of reproductive barrier mechanisms in a breeding and/or evolutionary context; analysis of diversity, genetic relationships and genome structure across tomato and related species. The appointee will be responsible for teaching courses in Plant Sciences, Plant Genetics, and Biotechnology, which may include one or more of the following undergraduate courses: BIT 161B (Plant Genetics & Biotechnology Lab); BIT 171 (Ethics in Biotechnology); PLS 012 (Plants and Society); and giving lectures for the graduate courses HRT 200B (Horticulture & Agronomy: Practices) and PLS 222 (Advanced Plant Breeding). The appointee will also be expected to mentor undergraduate and graduate students in research, including serving as major professor, and thesis/dissertation committee member for MS and/or PhD students.

Participation in and development of public outreach and/or community engagement programs, and performance of departmental and university service is expected. This position is defined to include a significant component of stakeholder engagement and outreach through service as Director of the C. M. Rick Tomato Genetics Resource Center (TGRC). Tomato is a major vegetable crop in California -- worth $2.3 billion and representing 95% of the US supply of processing tomatoes -- and an important source of nutrients, especially vitamins C & A. The Rick Center is widely recognized as the world's premiere seedbank of tomato genetic resources, as well as a research program in tomato genetics within the Plant Sciences Department. This position has strong support from industry and academic stakeholders, including an endowment that provides funding to employ two academic staff members. Rick Center germplasm enables a vast amount of tomato research and breeding on and off campus, mentioned in over 110 publications annually. In particular, its large and irreplaceable collection of wild tomato species, available nowhere else, provide traits such as disease and insect resistance, improved fruit quality, and resilience to abiotic stresses. This position oversees research that is broadly synergistic with the Rick Center's mission. The Director of the TGRC is also expected to collaborate with Cooperative Extension specialists and advisors, partners in allied industries or other appropriate public stakeholders.

This recruitment is conducted at the assistant rank. The resulting hire will be at the assistant rank, regardless of the proposed appointee's qualifications.

Initial review of applications will be conducted using anonymized versions of the Statement of Research Accomplishments and Interests and the Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Applications demonstrating sufficient potential based on this review will be advanced to full review.

The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community dedicated to the advancement, application, and transmission of knowledge and creative endeavors through academic excellence, where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in a safe and secure environment, free of violence, harassment, discrimination, exploitation, or intimidation. With this commitment, UC Davis conducts a reference check on all first-choice candidates for Academic Senate Assistant Professor, Steps 4, 5, or 6 through Professor, Assistant Professor of Teaching, Steps 4, 5, or 6 through Professor of Teaching, and Acting Professor of Law through Professor of Law positions. The reference check involves contacting the administration of the applicant's previous institution(s) to ask whether there have been substantiated findings of misconduct that would violate the University's Faculty Code of Conduct. To implement this process, UC Davis requires all applicants for any open search for these faculty positions to complete, sign, and upload the form entitled “Authorization to Release Information” into UC RECRUIT as part of their application. If an applicant does not include the signed authorization with the application materials, the application will be considered incomplete, and as with any incomplete application, will not receive further consideration. Although all applicants for faculty recruitments must complete the entire application, only finalists considered for these faculty positions will be subject to reference checks.
UC Davis supports Family-friendly recruitments. UC Davis covers travel expenses for a second person to accompany an invited faculty recruitment candidate who is a mother (or single parent of either gender) of a breast or bottle-feeding child less than two years of age. http://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/programs/work-life/index.html
UC Davis recognizes the necessity of supporting faculty with efforts to integrate work, family and other work-life considerations. To recruit and retain the best faculty, the campus sponsors a Work Life
Program that provides programs and services that support faculty as they strive to honor their commitments to work, home and community. http://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/programs/worklife/index.html
The UC Davis Partner Opportunities Program (POP) and Capital Resource Network (CRN) are services designed to support departments and Deans' offices in the recruitment and retention of outstanding faculty. For information about POP, please visit https://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/partner-opportunities-program-pop. For information about the CRN, please visit https://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/capital-resource-network. Please note eligibility for these programs may be based on policy and funding availability.

To apply, visit https://apptrkr.com/5731601