Environmental Horticulture Advisor (AP 24-22)
Open date: April 4, 2025
Next review date: Monday, May 19, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.
Final date: Friday, Jun 20, 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 Overview
The University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) invites applications for a UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Environmental Horticulture Advisor position at the Assistant rank. The successful candidate will develop and extend research-based information on proper production, selection, placement and care of ornamental trees and other landscape plants to enhance community health and quality of life in urban environments in the two counties served by the position.
UCCE Advisors are responsible for applied research and extension of knowledge. Research activities are applied, needs-based, mission-oriented, and focused on addressing our communities' challenges. Extension activities are the educational practices Advisors use to share research results directly with clientele and communities to increase their knowledge and understanding of science-based research results to support and promote the adoption of practices and technologies to solve problems. Extension methods may include individual consultations, presentations, organization of educational workshops and short courses, field demonstrations, farm calls, and site visits. Information may also be disseminated via radio outreach, webinars, fact sheets, policy briefs, news blogs, and social media. Publications are expected in various formats, such as newsletters, articles for the popular press, curricula, conference proceedings, and peer-reviewed publications. Successful research and extension programs result in new information that improves knowledge or understanding and adoption of new skills, practices, changed attitudes, policies, and improved environmental, health, agricultural, economic, and/or social conditions. UCCE Advisors are evaluated through an academic advancement system based on four criteria: extending knowledge, applied research and creative activity, professional competence and activity, and University and public service.
Location Headquarters: UCCE Riverside County Office, 2980 Washington Street, Riverside, CA 92504
Position Details
The Advisor will develop and extend horticultural knowledge to nursery and landscape professionals; develop and/or expand green infrastructures with government entities; and collaborate and partner with a wide variety of non-profit agencies and organizations invested in planting and maintaining greenspaces.
The Advisor will provide relevant, scientifically supported information to relevant audiences, based on a comprehensive needs assessment. Potential areas of focus include selection, placement, and care of climate-adapted landscape trees and other plants that cool urban heat islands while conserving water, withstand heat, and enhance other ecosystem services. Additional focus areas may include providing information on integrated pest management practices, use of recycled water for landscape irrigation, and nutrient management. Clientele may include public and private urban foresters, arborists, landscapers, landscape architects, nursery growers, parks and recreation directors, pest control applicators and advisors, and other personnel involved in urban planning and green infrastructures. Current partnerships exist with public and private landscape managers, non-profit partners, local resource conservation districts, and community groups that support enhancing tree canopy cover in low-shade communities.
Areas of research may include identifying drought, heat, and pest resistant landscape trees and other plants through participation in ongoing UC/USFS studies at UC Riverside; identifying effective non-chemical integrated pest management methods to prevent and/or control targeted pests; reducing pathogens to conform to disinfected secondary recycled water reuse; and novel approaches to reusing food waste and other organic materials in landscape settings that result from new mandatory organic waste reduction legislation.
The Advisor will provide academic and administrative oversight of the Master Gardener programs in San Bernardino and Riverside Counties that support local needs of urban clientele aligned with the mission and goals of the statewide Master Gardener program. Responsibilities include ensuring accurate and objective information and education extension with over 500 Master Gardener volunteers who provide education and guidance to over 4.5 million residents in the two counties. There is an opportunity to enhance the “Trees for Tomorrow Start Today” program that provides free climate-resilient trees to residents of low shade neighborhoods and tree care information.
Counties of Responsibility: This position will serve Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
Reporting Relationship: The Cooperative Extension Advisor serves under the administrative guidance of the University of California Cooperative Extension Area Director for Riverside, San Bernardino, and Orange Counties with input from the Statewide UC Master Gardner Director.
This is not a remote position; the candidate must be available to work onsite at the headquarters location and travel to and be present in both counties with programmatic responsibilities. Specific expectations for maintaining office hours and fieldwork in the geographic area covered by this position will be outlined upon hire by the Area Director.
Qualifications and Skills Required
Required Qualifications
Education: The minimum of a Master’s degree in environmental, urban or ornamental horticulture or a related field is required at the time of appointment.