UC Cooperative Extension Specialist Food Safety, Drones, and Spectral Analysis

UC Cooperative Extension Specialist - Food Safety, Drones, and Spectral Analysis

The University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR), in collaboration with the University of California, Santa Cruz, invites applications for a UC Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Specialist at the Assistant rank.

For full description, please follow (Use the "Apply for this Job" box below)./JPF
00368

This position will address the evolving food safety challenges in specialty crop production, bringing needed scientific and technical expertise to the field, with a focus on the intersection between food safety and organic/regenerative farming practices. The Specialist will examine the potential of agricultural technologies, such as drones, spectral analysis, and sensors, to help California growers ensure the safety of their harvest while using organic and regenerative practices.

The Specialist will be part of the University of California, Santa Cruz Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The position will be based in Santa Cruz, California.

• Collaborating extensively with UCSC faculty, as well as UC ANR's network of advisors, specialists, AES faculty, statewide programs, program teams, and institutes. Additional potential collaborators include other UC campuses, the California State University Monterey Bay, Hartnell College, Cabrillo Community College, other academic institutions, community partners, government agencies, and industry partners.
• Designing and conducting applied research focused on the intersection of food safety and technology. Potential areas of research include:
  • Novel approaches to assessing runoff and water contamination using landscape-level assessments across multiple sources (rangeland/pasture, urban, etc.)
  • New technologies for assessing food safety risk (multispectral imaging, AI) through field scouting (aerial and terrestrial drones) for vector identification and crop characteristics
  • Research on the impact of amendments on food safety outcomes
  • Research on the effects of conservation practices (soil amendments, compost, hedgerows, wetlands, conservation habitat) on food safety outcomes across different cropping systems and climatic regions
  • Legislative recommendations for drone safety, piloting, and licensing in the agricultural context
  • Novel approaches to drone applications (spraying, biological payload delivery, imaging) and effectiveness based on scale and frequency
  • Integration of environmental sensors with drone applications for real‑time adaptation based on site data
  • Implications of transitioning to drone spray applications from large aerial vehicles for regulations on drift, overspray, buffers, and community health impacts
• Building an effective extension education program (statewide trainings, workshops, educational resources, website, etc.) that helps partners and clientele implement technology strategies to improve food safety outcomes. The Specialist will serve as a resource for UCCE Advisors, county agricultural commissioners, pest control associations, government scientists, and regulatory personnel. Additionally, the Specialist will have significant engagement with youth training and workforce development, informing the practices and skills needed to train the next generation of agricultural workers with high‑tech skills.
• Publishing findings in accessible formats, including peer‑reviewed journals, ANR outlets, industry publications, and relevant online platforms, to widen the reach and impact of research outcomes.
• Participating in professional society activities and scholarly contributions, attaining goals of state, national, and international recognition over time.

A minimum of a Ph.D. (or equivalent) in electrical engineering, agricultural engineering, computer engineering, or a related field is required at the time of appointment.

• Demonstrated expertise in technologies that can be applied in agriculture, such as drones
• Substantive experience in one or more areas related to the position, such as organic and regenerative agriculture, food safety, and technology
• Excellent written, oral, and…