Vegetable Grower Jobs in Florida (NOW HIRING)

Ast/Aso Prof

Candidates for this rank shall hold the highest degree appropriate to their field. A candidate shall be expected to demonstrate successful experience pertinent to the position they are being recommended and have demonstrated qualities relevant to the goals of the academic unit in which they will be employed.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is creating an environment that affirms community across all dimensions. If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please call 352-392-2477 or the Florida Relay System at 800-955-8771 (TDD) or visit Accessibility at UF .

This is a 12-month tenure-accruing position that will be 70 % research (Florida Agricultural Experiment Station) and 30 % extension (Florida Cooperative Extension Service), available in the Everglades Research and Education Center Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, at the University of Florida.  This assignment may change in accordance with the needs of the unit.  Duties will include improving lettuce cultivars of cos (romaine) and crisphead (iceberg) types for Florida production. Focus on improving other types of lettuce such as leaf, butterhead, niche, and other leafy vegetables. Provide lettuce breeding lines and cultivars adapted to different environmental conditions throughout the state, with an emphasis on the Florida Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) where 90% of lettuce is cultivated. Other leafy vegetables, such as spinach, chard, and kale are cultivated in the EAA for baby leaf production, and support for the baby leaf industry on field production issues such as diseases affecting this industry is expected. This program evaluates the genetics of traits to develop lettuce cultivars adapted to Florida using multi-disciplinary research approaches in disease resistance, heat tolerance, nutrient use efficiency, weed management, postharvest technology, and alternative lettuce production systems such as protected structures.

Interaction with stakeholders, breeders in other states and federal agencies, and vegetable grower organizations (including Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association), is important to this position. Tenure will accrue in the Department of Horticultural Sciences. The faculty member is expected to release new horticulturally acceptable varieties, publish research results in refereed journals, produce extension publications and instructional materials, and to seek contract and grant funding actively to support his/her program. The faculty member will engage in Extension activities in their program area.  

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.

Because of the IFAS land-grant mission, all faculty are expected to be supportive of and engaged in all three mission areas-Research, Teaching and Extension-regardless of the assignment split specified in the position description.

Background Information:

The Everglades Research and Education Center (EREC) is an 800-acre facility located in Belle Glade within the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), near the southern edge of Lake Okeechobee in western Palm Beach County. Belle Glade is located west of the metropolitan West Palm Beach area in Palm Beach County; a region with 1 million population, an excellent subtropical climate, exceptional beaches and aquatic sports options, and the cultural advantages of a medium-sized city. The EAA is a dynamic, agriculturally diverse region with major production of sugarcane, rice, commercial sod, and winter vegetables (sweet corn, leafy and leafy green vegetables, green beans, celery, and radish). The EREC currently has 10 faculty members that represent Agronomy, Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Entomology and Nematology, Horticultural Sciences, Plant Pathology, and Soil Water, and Ecosystem Sciences Departments. Regional Extension Agents specializing in sugarcane, rice, sod, and fresh market vegetables are located at EREC and other offices in Palm Beach county. Approximately 80 additional personnel and students support faculty research and extension programs. The EREC facilities include offices, laboratories, greenhouses, 700-acre research farm, and residential dormitories and housing for graduate students.

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 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 4,500 people, which includes approximately 990 salaried faculty and 1,400 permanent support personnel located in Gainesville and throughout the state. IFAS, one of the nation's 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 Education and Experience

A doctorate (foreign equivalent acceptable) in Plant breeding, Horticulture or a closely related discipline is required.  Postdoctoral experience is required.  The applicant must have experience with and a strong understanding of plant breeding with focus on cultivar development as well as molecular techniques used in crop improvement. Ability and self-motivation to communicate effectively and work cooperatively with research and extension faculty, and vegetable growers, are essential.  Candidates should have demonstrated skills in verbal and written communication, interpersonal relationships, and procurement of extramural funding.  Candidates must be supportive of the mission of the Land-Grant system.  Candidates must also have a commitment to UF core values. 

Experience in leafy vegetable breeding programs is highly desirable but not required.

For full consideration, candidates should apply and submit materials by August 18, 2026.  The position will remain open until a viable applicant pool is determined.

Nominations

Nominations are welcome.  Nominations need to include the complete name and address of the nominee. This information should be sent to:

Please refer to Requisition # 540388

Dr. Calvin Odero

Chair, Search and Screen Committee

University of Florida

Everglades Research and Education Center

3200 E Palm Beach Road

Belle Glade, FL 33430

Phone: (561) 993-1500

Fax: (561) 993-1582

Electronic Mail: dcodero@ufl.edu

Application Information

• Individuals wishing to apply should go online to Careers at UF and submit:
• Cover letter that states applicant's interest in the position and qualifications relative to the credentials listed above
• Curriculum vitae
• Contact information (including email addresses) for 3 individuals willing to write letters of recommendation
• Unofficial transcripts

Selected candidate will be required to provide an official transcript to the hiring department upon hire. A transcript will not be considered "official" if a designation of "Issued to Student" is visible.  Degrees earned from an education institution outside of the United States are required to be evaluated by a professional credentialing service provider approved by National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES).

Hiring is contingent upon eligibility to work in the US. The University of Florida is a public institution and subject to all requirements under Florida Sunshine and Public Record laws. The University and greater Gainesville community enjoy a variety of cultural events, restaurants, year-round outdoor recreational activities, and social opportunities.