Center Director and Professor with University of Florida-IFAS in Ft. Pierce, FL

This is a 12-month 100% (1.0 FTE) administration position. The Director is responsible for the management and coordination of all research, extension and academic programs at the Indian River Research and Education Center (IRREC), located in Fort Pierce, Florida. The Director provides leadership and assistance to the faculty and staff at the center in developing and implementing research, extension, and academic programs and seeks Federal, State, and/or private funds to supplement the budget provided by the Florida Legislature. Other administrative responsibilities include the preparation of budgets, allocation of operating funds to all sections of the Center, evaluation of all IRREC faculty members in conjunction with department chairs, the initiation of tenure and promotion for IRREC faculty members in consultation with appropriate department chairs and supervision of staff including farm operations, automotive services, custodial/janitorial/maintenance services, and the center’s media specialistic. The Director is responsible for communicating all facility needs and maintenance requirements to the appropriate staff and administrators. Close interaction with industry representatives and governmental agencies is expected. The Director strengthens and maintains strong ties and goodwill with agricultural commodity and support organizations, regulatory agencies, environmental groups, local and statewide governmental agencies, members of urban and rural clientele groups, and consumers.

The Director works with faculty and staff to facilitate a multi-disciplinary program related to the IRREC’s mission and actively encourages and supports graduate educational programs at the Center. The Director interacts with other research and education center directors, department chairs, faculty, and county extension faculty to foster cooperation and collaboration among faculty members at different administrative units within IFAS. The Director must have the necessary skills to recruit and develop faculty and staff that will be responsive to the research and extension educational needs of the IRREC’s clientele groups. The Director will report administratively to the Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources and programmatically to the deans and directors of the three functions; Research, Academic Programs, and Cooperative Extension.

Because of the IFAS land-grant mission, all faculty are expected to be supportive of and engaged in all three mission areas—Research, Teaching and Extension—regardless of the assignment split specified in the position description.

Candidates should have a Ph.D. (foreign equivalent acceptable) in a field in or closely related to the faculty located at the center–Soil and Water Science, Horticulture, Agronomy, Entomology, or closely related fields– and experience in conducting major research and/or extension education programs. The candidate must have academic credentials that merit appointment at the rank of a tenured Professor in the appropriate academic department within IFAS. The candidate should have strong professional leadership, verbal and written communication, interpersonal, and administrative skills. Experience in obtaining and managing extramural support from industry, governmental, and/or regulatory agencies is required. Candidates must be supportive of the mission of the Land-Grant system and must also have a commitment to https://www.ufl.edu/about/core-values/“>UF core values of excellence, discovery & innovation, inclusion, freedom & civility, community, and stewardship. 

Selected candidate will be required to provide an 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).

Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the US. The University of Florida is a public institution and subject to all requirements under Florida Sunshine and Public Record laws.

The University of Florida is an Equal Opportunity Institution dedicated to building a broadly diverse and inclusive faculty and staff. The University and greater Gainesville community enjoy a diversity of cultural events, restaurants, year-round outdoor recreational activities, and social opportunities.