Director - UMass Cranberry Station / Extension Associate/Full Professor

About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450 acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

 

About UMass Cranberry Station

Established in 1910, located 140 miles east of the main campus in the town of East Wareham, Southeastern Massachusetts, the Cranberry Station is administratively linked to the UMass Amherst Campus, positioned within the College of Natural Resources (CNS) and the Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment (CAFE). It is a research and outreach center charged with the mission of enhancing the economic viability of the Massachusetts Cranberry Industry and serving the public welfare by supporting economic development and the protection of the environment. Currently, there are 19 full-time employees including post-doctoral scholars. The Cranberry Station enjoys an active partnership with USDA-ARS (housing 4 scientists on site), cranberry growers and industry. The facility recently received an investment of $8M+ for substantial renovation and new construction; it has 18 acres of cranberry bog for research and production, with 11 acres on site.

 

Job Summary

The University of Massachusetts is seeking an experienced scientist, innovative leader and Extension educator to serve in a full-time, 12-month appointment as Extension Associate or Full Professor and Director of the UMass Cranberry Station located in East Wareham, Massachusetts. The Director will provide: 1) vision, support, and coordination in planning, developing and implementing departmental programs in research and extension in accordance with the Land Grant Mission; 2) leadership in recruiting and fostering academic growth and professional development of faculty, staff, and students; 3) administration of human, physical and financial resources; and 4) promotion of external funding opportunities. The successful candidate will report to the Director of the Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment.

 

Essential Functions

• Develop and implement departmental programs, in research and extension in accordance with the Land Grant Mission.
• Lead the Cranberry Station, as well as strive for regional, national, and international excellence in integrated research and Extension programs that support the Cranberry Station’s mission and strategic goals.
• Represent the mission and strategic goals of the Station and its faculty with campus administrators, other departments and units, stakeholder groups, and outside agencies.
• Identify strategic opportunities for new research and Extension program opportunities; including expanding faculty involvement and leadership, garnering stakeholder support and engagement, in pursuit of the vision for the Station.
• Establish and maintain productive working relationships with the cranberry industry and state agencies to establish priorities that reflect current needs of the industry.
• Report unit status and progress to the Station's Board of Public Oversight.
• Foster and promote the vision and partnership with USDA-ARS scientists housed at the facility.
• Provide administrative management of the Station, including human, physical and financial resources. Management of personnel including recruiting faculty, staff, and students, performance management, and fostering their academic growth and professional development.
• Pursue and secure external funding opportunities to support all programs of the Station, including the successful candidate’s discipline.
• Maintain an active research and extension program, in a discipline that supports the cranberry industry.
• Pursue enrichment opportunities for the Station community to promote collaboration, programmatic, and unit excellence.
• Participate in outreach opportunities, and engage local, state, and regional stakeholders in support of the Land Grant Mission.

 

Other Functions

• Work collaboratively and effectively to promote teamwork, diversity, equality, and inclusiveness. 
• Work in partnership with colleagues within the CNS community and across the campus to support the Dean's strategic priorities.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of the mission and goals of the College of Natural Sciences.

 

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