Assistant/Associate Professor – Improvement of Flavor Profiles of Specialty Crops

About the role

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is creating an inclusive environment that values diversity and promotes equity. This is a 12-month tenure-accruing position with a 70% research (Florida Agricultural Experiment Station) and 30% teaching (College of Agricultural and Life Sciences) appointment in the Horticultural Sciences Department at the University of Florida, Gainesville main campus.

Responsibilities

• Advances in biochemistry, metabolomics, metabolic engineering, and genomics for high-value fruit and vegetable crops are opening new and valuable research opportunities for flavor genomics applied to plant breeding.
• Responsible for conducting innovative research exploring appropriate tools (e.g. chemistry/molecular biology/genomics/metabolomics/quantitative genetics) to better understand the genetics and biochemistry of fruit/vegetable flavor, and texture in specialty crops.
• Expected to dedicate effort into research on flavor profiles of specialty crops by utilizing new and previously established resources on tomato flavor biochemistry, genomics, and genetics, focused on understanding the biochemical and molecular bases of flavor and the improvement of flavor in modern cultivars.
• Collaborates closely with the UF tomato breeding program and other members of the department and the wider UF research community.
• Conducts the research program with strong extramural funding and publishes research in peer-reviewed journals.
• Participates actively in graduate education by chairing and serving on graduate committees, supervising thesis and dissertation research, supervising undergraduate research, and publishing the results with their graduate students.
• Engages in Extension activities in their program area.
• Supports and participates in the CALS Honors Program, distance education, and international education.
• Supports and engages in all three mission areas—Research, Teaching, and Extension—regardless of the assignment split specified in the position description.

Qualifications

• A doctorate in plant breeding, biochemistry, genetics and genomics, or a related discipline is required.
• A strong interest in the genetics and biochemistry of fruit/vegetable flavor.
• Demonstrated verbal and written communication skills, interpersonal relationships, working cooperatively with others, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries, team leadership and organization, and the ability to obtain extramural funding.
• A commitment to UF core values.
• Preferred postdoctoral experience.
• Experience with flavor chemistry, molecular breeding, and specialty crops.
• Familiarity with tomato breeding or tomato genetics.

Skills

• Strong research and teaching skills.
• Ability to obtain extramural funding.
• Effective communication and collaboration skills.
• Commitment to UF core values and the Land-Grant mission.

Benefits

• Commensurate with experience and education.

Pay

Commensurate with Experience and Education.

Schedule

12-month tenure-accruing position.