Assistant/Associate Professor: Applied Artificial Intelligence

This is a 9-month tenure-accruing position that will be 70% research (Florida Agricultural Experiment Station) and 30% extension (Florida Cooperative Extension Service), based at the Agricultural AI Institute within the Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC), Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, at the University of Florida. This assignment may change in accordance with the needs of the unit. Tenure will accrue in the Department of Horticultural Sciences.

About the role

The faculty member is expected to develop an externally funded research and Extension program in their area of expertise. The position is part of a cohort of new hires for the GCREC Agricultural AI Institute that will focus on the development, advancement, and deployment of applied artificial intelligence (AI) in agriculture with an emphasis on automation and efficiency in specialty crop production.

The successful candidate will advance the Institute’s research mission by developing, validating, and deploying artificial intelligence (AI) innovations into field-ready agricultural technologies that address crop production challenges including, but not limited to, weed, disease, and insect detection, nutrient deficiency identification, crop characterization, and yield estimation. The successful candidate will develop, adapt, and integrate AI models into production systems for targeted spraying, precision mapping, spatial analysis, sensor-based automation, and other advanced agricultural uses.

The faculty member will play a key role in technology transfer by collaborating with multidisciplinary faculty, growers, equipment manufacturers, and agricultural technology companies to deploy and evaluate AI-enabled systems. Responsibilities include coordinating field demonstrations, providing technical expertise during implementation, collecting engineering and performance feedback, and supporting the refinement of technologies as they progress toward commercial readiness.

The extension component will include the development of a successful educational program to accelerate commercial adoption and evaluation of AI-based agricultural technologies with the goal of improving the profitability and environmental sustainability of Florida’s fruit and vegetable industry. Examples of extension include workshops with growers, field days, online resources, county extension partnerships, extension publications, and decision-support systems.

Candidates with strong academic backgrounds that also demonstrate the ability to work with applied systems will be preferred. The candidate will have the opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary environment consisting of industry partners and faculty in agricultural and biological engineering, economics, entomology, horticulture, microbiology, plant pathology, soil science, and weed science.

A successful candidate is expected to embrace all three missions of the Land-grant university system: Research, Extension, and Teaching. The candidate is required to establish a strong, externally funded, research program, and promote their research activity and leadership in professional societies as well as sustained publication activity in top scientific journals. The candidate is encouraged to collaborate with other faculty and research partners, creating synergy both inside and outside of the University of Florida. The successful candidate will participate actively in undergraduate and graduate education by chairing and serving on graduate committees, supervising thesis, dissertation and undergraduate research, and publishing research results with students. Faculty are encouraged to participate in professional development activities related to teaching and advising and may teach courses and seminars.

Responsibilities

• Develop an externally funded research and Extension program in artificial intelligence for specialty crop production.
• Advance AI innovations for agricultural technologies addressing weed, disease, insect detection, nutrient deficiency, crop characterization, and yield estimation.
• Develop, adapt, and integrate AI models for targeted spraying, precision mapping, spatial analysis, sensor-based automation, and other advanced agricultural applications.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, growers, equipment manufacturers, and agricultural technology companies to deploy and evaluate AI-enabled systems.
• Coordinate field demonstrations, provide technical expertise, collect engineering and performance feedback, and refine technologies for commercial readiness.
• Develop educational programs to accelerate adoption of AI-based agricultural technologies, including workshops, field days, online resources, and extension publications.
• Establish a strong, externally funded research program and publish in top scientific journals.
• Participate in undergraduate and graduate education, including chairing graduate committees, supervising research, and teaching courses or seminars.
• Engage in professional development activities related to teaching and advising.

Requirements

• A doctorate (foreign equivalent acceptable) in Engineering, Computer Science, Horticultural Sciences, or a closely related discipline.
• Demonstrated excellence in verbal and written communication skills.
• Proven ability to participate in collaborative efforts and procure external funding.
• Experience with machine learning, computer vision, and/or AI deployment in agricultural systems.
• Supportive of the mission of the University Land-Grant system.
• Commitment to UF core values.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with horticultural crops, agricultural technology for horticultural crops, sensors, or precision-ag systems.
• Proven experience training AI models and creating synthetic imagery.
• Familiarity with Python, PyTorch/TensorFlow, ROS, edge AI platforms, remote sensing tools, and field-ready hardware integration.
• Applied, interdisciplinary scientific background.

About the organization

The University of Florida's Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC) is a nationally recognized hub for interdisciplinary research, Extension, and graduate education supporting Florida's specialty crop industries. The Center is located in Wimauma, approximately 35 minutes from downtown Tampa. GCREC is home to more than 20 faculty whose expertise spans artificial intelligence, automation, engineering, geomatics, horticulture, plant breeding, plant pathology, entomology, natural resource management, and precision agriculture. The center offers exceptional research infrastructure, including modern laboratories and offices, greenhouses, approximately 500 acres of research farm, and housing for up to 34 graduate students.

This position will be housed in the new Agricultural AI Institute, a state-of-the-art research facility dedicated to advancing artificial intelligence, robotics, automation, and precision agriculture for specialty crop production. The Institute features newly constructed offices, collaborative research space, advanced engineering and computer science laboratories, fabrication and prototyping shops, and dedicated training facilities.

The University of Florida's Horticultural Sciences Department is a nationally recognized leader in teaching, research, and Extension dedicated to advancing the science and practice of specialty crop production. The department conducts interdisciplinary research spanning fruit and vegetable crops, environmental horticulture, plant breeding and genetics, precision agriculture, controlled environment production, artificial intelligence, automation, and sustainable production systems.

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 (IFAS) 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, and Florida Cooperative Extension Service offices in all 67 counties.