POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT # 0001-3875 REQUISITION # 0902917 Title: CENTER DIRECTOR AND PROFESSOR Location: WEST FLORIDA RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CENTER INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES (IFAS) UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA JAY AND MILTON, FLORIDA Salary: COMMENSURATE WITH QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
Position Open To: For full consideration, candidates should apply and submit additional materials by July 8, 2013. The position will remain open until a viable applicant pool is determined. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: The Center Director is the administrative head of the University of Florida's West Florida Research and Education Center (WFREC) located on two campuses (Milton and Jay) and provides leadership and support for the teaching, research and extension programs essential to the agricultural, natural resource conservation, environmental and consumer interests of the area. The Director is responsible for encouraging the development of proactive programs addressing the present and future needs of the surrounding agricultural, natural resource and urban communities. WFREC programs seek to improve the viability of regional agricultural economies, protect and enhance natural resources, and encourage positive interaction at the urban-agriculture interface. The Center Director administers a teaching program, which has been established at the WFREC in cooperation with Pensacola State College and the University of West Florida. This unique teaching program has a 12:1 to 14:1 student-teacher ratio and allows students to pursue a B.S. degree in Plant Sciences or Natural Resource Conservation awarded by the University of Florida while remaining in the Milton-Pensacola area. The WFREC also has an active graduate student program. The Center Director facilitates and supports the research and extension programs of the faculty. WFREC faculty, support staff and facilities are located at both WFREC campuses. The campus at Jay is a 640 acre Research/Extension farm and the Milton campus is located in conjunction with the Pensacola State College-Milton. The Center Director is responsible for sound management of WFREC, budgetary and personnel resources, and for development of short- and long- term goals involving programs, equipment, physical plant and personnel. The Director is responsible for developing and implementing a strategic plan for strengthening the teaching, research and extension activities at the WFREC to increase its impact in the region. The Center Director will maintain liaison with local, state, and federal agencies and will interact with UF/IFAS administration, county extension faculty, other UF faculty and staff, and agricultural and environmental leaders in accordance with the Center’s mission and goals. The Center Director is expected to use appropriate communication and management skills to promote teamwork among faculty and staff and be able to delegate responsibility and make timely decisions. The Director is responsible for evaluation of WFREC faculty programs and initiation of tenure and promotion actions in consultation with appropriate department chairs. The Center Director reports administratively to the Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources and programmatically to the Deans for Academic Programs, Research and Extension. The Center Director must take an active role to develop and maintain goodwill for the Center among various support and clientele groups and consumers. Strong ties must be developed and maintained with organizations and public agencies, including commodity organizations and local and statewide agriculture, natural resource, and regulatory governmental agencies. A good working relationship must also be maintained with private entities, including agricultural producers, members of agricultural industries, various agriculture and horticulture clientele groups, environmental NGO’s, and consumers. Interaction with Pensacola State College and the University of West Florida will also be necessary to maintain a strong teaching program in cooperation with these entities. The Director will cooperate with UF/IFAS Department Chairs, other UF/IFAS Research and Education Center directors, district extension directors, county extension faculty and other UF units in program development. BASIC QUALIFICATIONS: An earned Ph.D. (foreign equivalent acceptable) in a field related to plant sciences, including but not limited to agriculture, environmental horticulture or natural resources. The candidate is expected to have experience in conducting teaching and research programs with academic credentials equivalent to the full professor required. Experience with extension activities is also desirable. The candidate should have demonstrated strong professional leadership, communication, interpersonal and administrative skills. Candidates should also have experience in obtaining extramural support from commodity and industry groups or governmental agencies such as USDA. Previous administrative experience is desirable. OTHER INFORMATION: The West Florida Research and Education Center is located approximately 35 miles northeast of Pensacola, FL in Santa Rosa County within 20 miles of gulf coast beaches. This traditional agronomic crop production area is increasingly influenced by the rapidly expanding urban areas of northwest Florida and an increasing interest in natural resource conservation. The faculty at the WFREC specialize in agronomy, weed science, turfgrass management, restoration horticulture, forest ecology and silviculture, and wildlife ecology and conservation. Application Instructions Individuals wishing to apply should go online to http://jobs.ufl.edu/postings/40719 and submit: �X An on-line application, �X A formal letter of application which includes a brief statement of the applicant’s administrative philosophy and ideas on the role of an off- campus Research and Education Center, �X A current curriculum vitae which includes a biographical sketch, service, consultantships, and a complete list of publications, and �X three (3) names and contact information of references who can assess the candidates qualifications for this position (Please refer to Requisition # 0902917) Nicholas Comerford Chair, Search and Screen Committee University of Florida North Florida Research and Education Center 155 Research Road Quincy, FL 32351 Telephone: 850-875-7116 Facsimile: 850-875-7189 Electronic Mail: [email protected] Interviews will be held from July 22nd to August 2nd, 2013. Final candidate will be required to provide official transcript to the hiring department upon hire. A transcript will not be considered “official” if a designation of “Issued to Student” is visible. Degrees earned from an education institution outside of the United States are required to be evaluated by a professional credentialing service provider approved by National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES), which can be found at http://www.naces.org/ . The University of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Institution dedicated to building a broadly diverse and inclusive faculty and staff. The selection process will be conducted in accord with the provisions of Florida’s ‘Government in the Sunshine’ and Public Records Laws. Search committee meetings and interviews will be open to the public, and applications, resumes, and many other documents related to the search will be available for public inspection. Persons with disabilities have the right to request and receive reasonable accommodation.
