Postdoctoral Associate Nutrient Best Management Practices

Postdoc Aso

The appointee shall have received the doctorate in a field appropriate to the assigned duties and responsibilities.

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The University of Florida (UF) Institute of Food and Agricultural Science (IFAS) Soil Water and Ecosystem Sciences (SWES) department is looking to hire a Post-doctoral Associate who will provide leadership and expertise in the field of agriculture nutrient management within the Suwannee Valley agricultural area of north Florida. The post-doctoral associate will be part of a multi-year demonstration and research project funded by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) involving precision nitrogen application cover cropping and soil moisture sensor (SMS) monitoring in corn (grain silage and sweet) sorghum cotton snap beans and other appropriate crops. Recently growers implementing side-dressing to row crops significantly reduced their nitrogen footprint in the Suwannee Valley Basin Management Action Plan (BMAP). More information on BMAP can be found here. This project will leverage precision placement of nitrogen using a high-clearance spray applicator modified with drop tubes to band nitrogen near growing crops. Cover crops and SMS are used as well to mine residual nitrogen and improve irrigation timing to minimize nitrate-nitrogen leaching respectively. The incumbent will be the primary staff member responsible for visiting each site routinely to collect all soil and tissue samples and to be present for logistical meetings prior to during and after each farm demonstration. The incumbent will be responsible for coordinating with other collaborators including UF/IFAS County Extension faculty and Regional Specialized Agents including those stationed at the North Florida Research and Education Center. Data analyses will be summarized by the incumbent for written reports including quarterly reports to the funding agency EDIS documents and peer-reviewed publications. The incumbent will be expected to drive to potential field locations and stakeholder meetings present findings at stakeholder meetings and conduct field work in hot humid conditions.

Background Information:

The SWES Department is a leader in teaching research and extension/outreach programs in management protection and monitoring of soil and water resources. The SWES Department has 37 tenured or tenure-track faculty 6 non-tenure track lecturers/research faculty 54 PhD students 103 MS students and 114 undergraduate students. The interdisciplinary nature of SWES programs results in research at multiple (molecular to landscape) scales to manage and protect land and water resources and solve environmental problems. Teaching faculty are encouraged to participate in extension and research activities that contribute to their continuing education.

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 56000 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 4500 people which includes approximately 990 salaried faculty and 1400 permanent support personnel located in Gainesville and throughout the state. IFAS one of the nations 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.

Commensurate with Experience and Education

• A PhD (foreign equivalent acceptable) in Agronomy Soil Science Environmental Sciences/Engineering Nutrient Management Water Quality or any related field is required.
• Strong oral and verbal communication skills.
• Candidates must be supportive of the mission of the Land-Grant system.
• Candidates must also have a commitment toUF core values.
• Valid drivers license.

• Demonstrated leadership in interdisciplinary teams.
• Experience and success working with stakeholders to successfully accomplish shared goals.
• Demonstrated experience publishing in extension and/or peer reviewed publications.