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Post-Doctoral Fellow in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems
Job Description
Posting Details
Position Information
| Posting Number | SF01627 |
|---|---|
| Job Title | Post-Doctoral Fellow in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems |
| Position Number | 109023 |
| FTE | 1.00 |
| FLSA | Exempt |
| Position Type | Professional Staff |
| Union | Non-Union Non-Classified Staff |
| Pay Grade Level | N/A |
| Pay Grade Range | Salary Range: Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience and based on the URI salary scale. The annual salary range for this position $55,000 to $60,000, contingent upon experience. |
| Status | Calendar Year, Full-time, Limited |
Department Information
| Department | Extension and Agricultural Programs |
|---|---|
| Contact(s) | Please note: Job applications must be submitted directly online only at: (https://jobs.uri.edu) |
| Contact Phone/Extension | |
| Contact Email | |
| Physical Demands | |
| Campus Location | Kingston |
| Grant Funded | Yes |
| Extension Contingency Notes | Position is full-time calendar year, limited to 08/31/2024 with anticipated renewal. Benefits are included, please see Benefit Summary for Non-Classified Employees . |
| Job Description Summary | The search will remain open until the position has been filled. First consideration will be given to applications received by October 20, 2023. Applications received after October 20, 2023 may not be given full consideration. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ We seek a Postdoctoral Fellow scholar for a 2-year position — with reappointment possible for up to 4 years total — on a new USDA-NIFA-funded research project aimed at lowering food safety barriers for organic fruit and vegetable growers across the United States. Embedded within a large interdisciplinary team, this position will work closely with the lead PI on project synthesis and coordination, serving as a high-level point of contact for all project partners and facilitating steady integration among all project activities. This position will specifically work to ensure synergy across our two primary objectives and between the Research and Extension & Outreach components of the project. Of note, the project team includes a cohort of postdocs and PhD students that will form an interdisciplinary working group. Organic growers can face unique challenges in trying to meet both National Organic Program standards and food safety requirements. Specifically, complying with food safety requirements poses both operational and administrative barriers for organic growers that impact farm production decisions and practices as well as a farm’s policy compliance and market access. Both barriers can hinder organic growers seeking to grow their operations as well as growers considering making the transition to organic certification. This project aims at two objectives to lower these barriers. First, by developing a practical, user-friendly risk-assessment and decision-making tool for organic soil amendments. Second, by developing, demonstrating, and evaluating a suite of extension and outreach materials aimed at bringing all organic produce stakeholders—including organic growers, farm advisors, and organic and food safety auditors and certifiers, and buyers—to a common understanding of the unique food safety risks and farm management strategies specific to organic agriculture of fruit and vegetable crops covered by the Produce Safety Rule. The anticipated start date for this appointment is January 2024. The initial appointment is for 24 months, with renewal possible for up to 4 years. This is a full-time appointment based in Kingston at the University of Rhode Island’s (URI) Department of Fisheries, Animal, and Veterinary Sciences, working with PI Dr. Patrick Baur, and will also be affiliated with the URI’s Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems program. |
| Duties and Responsibilities | Duties and Responsibilities: Facilitate active and productive communication among members of the interdisciplinary research team and with national outreach partner organizations and the stakeholder advisory board to enhance coordination and collaboration and ensure full synergy of project activities. Contribute to collaborative development and implementation of a needs assessment study among farm advisors, extension, auditors/certifiers, and buyers to identify and provide detailed insight into training needs and opportunities. Work with the research team and national outreach partner organizations to support design and delivery of the project’s culminating regional training workshops, including staffing some workshops in person, on location. Review relevant literature. Lead preparation of annual reports for the funding agency and advisory board. Supervise undergraduate and graduate students as appropriate. Present results at state and national conferences. Co/lead author academic papers for relevant peer-reviewed journals. |
| Required Qualifications | Required Qualifications: 1. PhD or equivalent degree in a relevant social science field, including but not limited to (rural) sociology, geography, environmental science and/or policy, public health, or anthropology, by the anticipated start date. 2. Demonstrated expertise in agricultural and food systems, with the ability to work effectively across disciplines. 3. Must be currently eligible to work in the U.S. (will require travel and some fieldwork (interviews, site visits, meetings, conferences, and/or in-person workshops) within the continental US. 4. Demonstrated strong verbal and interpersonal communication skills. 5. Demonstrated proficiency in written communication skills. 6. Demonstrated ability to work with diverse groups/populations. |
| Preferred Qualifications | Preferred Qualifications: 1. Demonstrated strong community-engaged and qualitative research skills. 2. Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaborate effectively as part of an interdisciplinary team. 3. Prior practical or research experience with food safety management and/or organic agriculture. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ ALL REQUIREMENTS ARE SUBJECT TO POSSIBLE MODIFICATION TO REASONABLY ACCOMMODATE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES. |
| Environmental Conditions | |
| Posting Date | 09/12/2023 |
| Closing Date | |
| Special Instructions to Applicants | Please attach the following 2 (PDF) documents to your online Staff Employment Application: (#1) Cover letter to include a 1-2 page describing research experience (as one complete document). (#2) A current CV and the names and contact information of three professional references (as one complete document). PLEASE NOTE: Letters of references may be requested for finalists. |
| Quicklink for Posting | https://jobs.uri.edu/postings/12187 |
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