AI in Agriculture Extension Specialist

University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources; Merced (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR), in collaboration with UC Merced, invites applications for a Professor of Cooperative Extension at the Assistant Rank.

The Specialist will advance AI and computational technologies for California agriculture and food systems, developing an applied program that translates AI into practical yield forecasting, pest management, and resource optimization.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in computer science, data science, AI, or related field required.
• Experience with AI, ML, data analytics and computational methods.
• Experience conducting applied, interdisciplinary research in agriculture or related systems.

Responsibilities

• Conduct applied research related to AI and ML that improves productivity and sustainability.
• Translate AI research into extension programming, decision-support tools, and training.
• Develop and validate AI-enabled technologies under real-world conditions; assess accuracy and scalability.
• Engage with interdisciplinary teams to integrate AI into agricultural innovation.
• Collaborate with UC Merced faculty and UC ANR networks to disseminate results.
• Collaborate with major computing centers to access AI and supercomputing resources.

Skills

AI/ML expertise

Data analytics

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Research translation

Education

Ph.D. in related field

Tools

F3i Supercomputing Center

Job description

The University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR), in collaboration with UC Merced, invites applications for a Professor of Cooperative Extension at the Assistant Rank.

The Specialist will advance AI and computational technologies for California agriculture and food systems, developing an applied program that translates AI into practical yield forecasting, pest management, and resource optimization.