Groundwater Quantity and Quality Extension Specialist - University of California

Job Listings Title:
Groundwater Quantity and Quality Extension Specialist - University of California

Post Date
4/6/2026

Expiration Date
7/5/2026

Details:
Application Window
Open date: February 26, 2026

Next review date: Wednesday, Apr 22, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.

Final date: Tuesday, Jun 30, 2026 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.

Click here for a complete position description and to apply.

Position description
Position Overview
The University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR), in collaboration with the University of California, Merced, invites applications for a Professor of Cooperative Extension at the Assistant Rank, which has the formal appointment title Specialist in Cooperative Extension.

The Professor of Cooperative Extension-Groundwater Quantity and Quality will address the challenges of drought, climate change, and their link to long-term groundwater overdraft through an innovative research and extension program. In collaboration with academics, public agencies, and non-profit and private sector partners, they will build capacity across California to sustainably manage groundwater quantity and quality. The successful candidate is expected to develop applied research that supports sustainable use strategies and to conduct outreach that facilitates the adoption of new, science-based knowledge for water management in California’s Central Valley. We seek a candidate with expertise in areas including hydrogeology, hydrogeochemistry, sustainable groundwater management, current (e.g., salinity, nitrates, TCPs) and emerging (e.g., microplastics, PFAS) contaminants in groundwater, groundwater monitoring and modeling, managed aquifer recharge, and strategic cropping systems.

Professors of Cooperative Extension, also known as UCCE (UC Cooperative Extension) Specialists, develop and conduct research and educational programs aimed at appropriate clientele groups in communities outside of UC campuses. UCCE Specialists have programs primarily focused on mission-oriented research or creative work that supports the university’s efforts to extend knowledge, including outreach and community engagement. Mission-oriented research describes the entire research continuum, from basic research to the application of research results. This research is generally applied in nature and has as its goal the solution of a problem facing society that is related to the discipline's mission of the UCCE Specialist and the UCCE mission. UCCE Specialists will publish the results of applied research in a combination of research publication types, whether peer-reviewed or not, based on the relevant audiences served by the UCCE Specialist’s program.

Extension programs disseminate knowledge and information to clientele groups to help them better understand and address problems and opportunities they face. The extension educational program serves the University’s public service mission. Educational program activities include, but are not limited to, collaborations with UCCE Advisors, other UCCE Specialists, campus faculty, program teams, workgroups, or clientele groups; developing and presenting educational materials; communicating to clientele through broadcast, print, or electronic media; participating in meetings with clientele; developing and presenting in-service training courses; organizing or participating in workshops, field tours, symposia or conferences. Much of this work is conducted in partnership with UC ANR’s locally based UCCE Advisors. The UCCE Specialist – Advisor and faculty partnership creates an applied research network that benefits both the University and the public at large. This position does not include formal classroom instruction at the University.

Location Headquarters
The position will be housed at the UC West Side Research and Extension Center (WSREC) in Five Points and academically positioned within UC ANR, with a secondary appointment in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Merced.

Position Details
The San Joaquin Valley holds significant importance as it leads the nation in the production of various orchard, field, and vegetable crops. However, it relies heavily on groundwater, especially in drought years, which increases pressure on supply and presents significant challenges to developing sustainable farming systems. Many farms and crops require innovative interventions through science-based solutions that address sustainability and enhance agricultural productivity under water-related challenges. Increasingly unpredictable climatic conditions are impacting natural systems as well as large, intensive cropping systems, making research and extension interventions critically important. The WSREC, where the position will be housed, is in the most intensive and diversified farming system in California, faced with multidimensional challenges centered around water availability and quality. The position will benefit from UC Merced’s distinguished leadership in precision agricultural technology and its comprehensive portfolio of water research, education, and extension projects. This critical position will address important issues related to groundwater and salinity in this region, which have the potential to be scaled out across California and beyond.

Major duties and responsibilities include:
• Develop and implement a collaborative research, education, and outreach program with the goal of enhancing the sustainable use and quality of groundwater
• Conduct applied research on topics such as:
o Subsurface hydrology and assessing groundwater quality in the San Joaquin Valley
o Development and use of models of groundwater hydrology, groundwater/surface water interactions, and chemical fate and transport for management and planning activities, including various scenarios for water use in agriculture
o Design of conjunctive use scenarios for sustainable farming under different cropping patterns
o Evaluation of the impacts of climate change, droughts, floods, nitrates, pesticides, and other chemical applications on groundwater quality and quantity, and development of novel groundwater use strategies considering the quantity-quality relationship approach
o Development of different scenarios and practical guidelines for groundwater recharge through field measurements, remote sensing, and modeling
o Agricultural drainage and its impact on salinity management and groundwater quality
• Extend knowledge on groundwater quality and management through different modalities and approaches, which may include extension publications, newsletters, web pages, blogs, policy briefs, UCCE Advisor meetings, on-site visits to farmer locations, stakeholder validation workshops, and grower workshops.
• Develop and implement, in collaboration with UC ANR academics, educational programs on groundwater management, with a focus on conjunctive use that maximizes the sustainable use of available water. This includes groundwater assessment, development of irrigation management, and crop selection strategies.
• Collaborate with UCCE Advisors and Specialists, UC Merced faculty, UC Research and Extension Centers, and UC ANR statewide programs, institutes, and program teams to conduct applied research and inform extension efforts at the local, regional, and statewide levels.
• Engage with networks of groundwater management professionals throughout the state, including the Groundwater Resources Association, and provide expertise to agencies responsible for implementing and overseeing groundwater management, including the California Department of Water Resources (DWR), the State Water Resources Control Board, and regional Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs).
• Network with scientists from DWR, the California Department of Food and Agriculture, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service, and the US Geological Survey, as well as with private sector experts and stakeholders working on groundwater management plans and technologies.
• Work closely with Westland and other water districts and relevant authorities to address implementation requirements and challenges of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) and other related programs (e.g., The Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program).
• Publish in relevant UCANR outlets and external scientific journals appropriate for the field of groundwater management.

Counties of Responsibility:
This statewide position will support agriculture and its allied agencies and organizations in California. This is an exciting opportunity to impact diverse communities throughout the state.

Reporting Relationship:
The position will be physically located at the UC West Side Research and Extension Center (WSREC), in Five Points, CA, with an official appointment with UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR). It is expected that UCCE Specialist will also hold a concurrent 0% (uncompensated) Adjunct Professor series appointment with the working title of Professor of Cooperative Extension (Groundwater Quantity and Quality) in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at UC Merced. UC ANR will oversee the merit and promotion process, consistent with other UCCE Specialists, with input from the UCM Civil Engineering Department Chair and the WSREC Director. It is not a remote position; the candidate must be available to work onsite at the West Side Research and Extension Center in Five Points.

Qualifications and Skills Required
Education: A minimum of a Ph.D. (or international equivalent) in Hydrogeology, Hydrogeochemistry, Geophysics, Water Resources, Hydrological Sciences, Natural Resources Management, or a closely related field is required at the time of appointment. Applicants who have not yet earned a Ph.D. must be within 12 months of completing their degree to be considered for the position.

Key Qualifications

• Experience in groundwater research and extension
• Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills
• Strong publication record
• Experience in leading collaborative research teams

• Ability and means to travel on a flexible schedule as needed, proof of liability, and property damage insurance on the vehicle used are required. Must possess or obtain a valid California Driver's License to drive a university vehicle.
• Applicants must have unrestricted and permanent work authorization in the United States. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time. Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. at the time of hire, without additional sponsorship. Internal UC ANR applicants with questions may contact Katie Kilbane at klkilbane@ucanr.edu.
• This is not a remote position.
• As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer. “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.

UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students, and Third Parties
APM-035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment

Desired Experience
• Experience in integrated research and educational projects, and extension to diverse audiences
• Familiarity with California’s specialty crops and/or water
• A track record of applying for and securing extramural grant funding

Skills Required

To be successful, UCCE Specialist/Professor of Cooperative Extension positions require skills in the following:

Technical competence
• Applicants need to meet appointment criteria for the respective University of California academic title series and provide evidence of being able to meet the required academic advancement criteria as per UC Academic Personnel Manuals. Applications need to document relevant research, extension, teaching experience, and appropriate scholarly achievements.
• Conduct and report needs assessments to identify priority issues or problems relevant to the clientele groups being served.
• Develop and implement effective applied research and educational programs to address the identified priority needs of the clientele that are consistent with UC ANR’s Strategic Vision and Initiatives.
• Conduct applied research designed to monitor changes and solve statewide and locally relevant problems related to groundwater management in California.
Communication
• Disseminate appropriate, science-based information to inform clientele, using extension methods that are responsive to clientele needs and appropriate for the audience and situation.
• Maintain and promote UCCE’s credibility by providing science-based knowledge.
• Evaluate programs and report accomplishments, results, and potential or actual impacts to scientific and lay audiences through a variety of outreach methods e.g., peer-reviewed publications, internet, workshops, and newsletters.
Collaboration & Teamwork
• Build collaborative working relationships with UCCE Advisors, UCCE Specialists, Academic Coordinators, and program staff across UC ANR, via participation in program teams and workgroups.
• Interact with campus academic colleagues to create synergies that will advance the programmatic goals of the UC Merced Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and UC ANR.
• Interact with the UC Merced Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and other relevant graduate programs via occasional lectures and other academic functions (such as serving on dissertation committees, qualifying exams, etc.) as appropriate. Per UC Academic Personnel Policy 334, Specialist in Cooperative Extension Series, the teaching of regular undergraduate or graduate courses will not be a responsibility of the position.
• Engage in campus faculty meetings, campus faculty committee service, and other activities of the UC Merced faculty as appropriate.
Lifelong Learning
• Participate in professional organizations and collaborate with state government and agencies related to groundwater management in California.
• Demonstrate commitment to ongoing growth – both professionally and as a person.