| Job Description: |
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is creating an environment that affirms community across all dimensions. If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352-392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF .
This is a 12-month tenure-accruing position that will be 60% teaching (College of Agricultural and Life Sciences) and 40% research (Florida Agricultural Experiment Station), available at the West Florida Research and Education Center, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, at the University of Florida. This assignment may change in accordance with the needs of the unit. Duties will include teaching three to four classes per year including Annual & Perennial Gardening, Plant Identification, Plant Propagation, and other courses as needed by the program provided by both in-person and online delivery.
The successful candidate will engage in scholarly activities related to instruction, including teaching undergraduate and/or graduate courses, advising and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, participating in curriculum revision and enhancement, seeking funding for the teaching program, supervising undergraduate and graduate research and creative work, publishing teaching-related scholarship, producing learning tools, and engaging in professional development activities related to teaching and advising. Faculty will support and participate in the CALS Honors Program, distance education, and international education. Incumbent will manage and maintain plant collections for teaching and research including the Milton Gardens and greenhouse complex.
The faculty member will develop an externally funded research program involving development of propagation and production strategies to improve establishment of plant species for urban landscapes and ecological restoration. The West Florida Research and Education Center is a multidisciplinary center and leads research in regional ecosystems. Candidates should have the ability and desire to participate in interdisciplinary collaboration with colleagues. The faculty member will actively seek contract and grant funding to support their program. Tenure will accrue in the Department of Horticultural Sciences.
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.
Background Information:
The University of Florida is a Land-Grant, Sea-Grant, and Space-Grant institution, encompassing virtually all academic and professional disciplines, with an enrollment of more than 56,000 students. UF is a member of The Association of American Universities. The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences includes the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, the College of Veterinary Medicine, the Florida Sea Grant program, and encompasses 16 on-campus academic departments and schools, 12 Research and Educational Centers (REC) located throughout the state, 6 Research sites/demonstration units administered by RECs or academic departments, and Florida Cooperative Extension Service offices in all 67 counties (counties operate and maintain). The School of Natural Resources and Environment is an interdisciplinary unit housed in IFAS and managed by several colleges on campus. UF/IFAS employs nearly 4,500 people, which includes approximately 990 salaried faculty and 1,400 permanent support personnel located in Gainesville and throughout the state. IFAS, one of the nation’s largest agricultural and natural resources research and education organizations, is administered by a Vice President and four deans: the Dean of the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the Dean for Extension and Director of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, the Dean for Research and Director of the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station, and the Dean for the College of Veterinary Medicine. UF/IFAS also engages in cooperative work with Florida A&M University in Tallahassee.
This position is part of an off-campus teaching program, which has been established at the WFREC (http://wfrec.ifas.ufl.edu) and is a collaborative effort between the University of Florida and Pensacola State College (PSC). This unique teaching program, located at the PSC Milton Campus approximately 20 miles northeast of Pensacola, FL, allows students to pursue a B.S. degree in Natural Resource Conservation or Plant Sciences. In addition to excellent facilities at the Milton campus, a 640-acre research and demonstration farm is located about 12 miles north of Milton in Jay, FL. The program at PSC-Milton Campus is one of a select few academic programs offered at locations outside Gainesville.
Florida has 16 million acres of forestland, comprising a diversity of ecosystems ranging from cypress swamps to mesic hardwoods, pine flatwoods and xeric sandhill oak/pine forests. Nearly half of the forestland of the state is owned by private, non-industrial landowners; one third by forest industries, and the remainder by public agencies. Management of these forestlands poses challenges and opportunities due to their unique flora and fauna, rapid urbanization, access to international markets, a favorable environment for plant growth, and a strong demand for the economic, environmental and social products of Florida's forests. Florida lumber, wood products, and paper industries employ over 40,000, many of whom work in northwest Florida.
WFREC faculty and staff are dedicated to interdisciplinary research, extension and teaching programs that meet the needs of local clientele with statewide, nationwide as well as global impacts. The location of WFREC allows families to enjoy the advantages of rural living while being within minutes of Pensacola, one of Florida's major cities, Gulf of Mexico beaches; and extensive public forest lands.
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| Special Instructions to Applicants: |
For full consideration, candidates should apply and submit materials by June 1, 2026. The position will remain open until a viable applicant pool is determined.
Employment Conditions
This position is available January 2, 2027, and will be filled as soon thereafter as an acceptable applicant is available. Compensation is commensurate with the education, experience, and qualifications of the selected applicant.
Nominations
Nominations are welcome. Nominations need to include the complete name and address of the nominee. This information should be sent to:
Please refer to Requisition # 539594
J. Bryan Unruh
Chair, Search and Screen Committee
UF/IFAS WFREC
4253 Experiment Road
Jay, FL 32565
Telephone: 850-982-7951
Facsimile: 850-983-7149
Electronic Mail: jbu@ufl.edu
Application Information
Individuals wishing to apply should go online to Careers at UF and submit:
- Cover letter that states applicant’s interest in the position and qualifications relative to the credentials listed above
- Curriculum vitae
- Contact information (including email addresses) for 3 individuals willing to write letters of recommendation
- Unofficial transcripts
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 and greater Gainesville community enjoy a variety of cultural events, restaurants, year-round outdoor recreational activities, and social opportunities.
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