Are you interested in playing a leadership role to shape the future of New York’s farm economy through research and extension programming? Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is seeking a creative, experienced and knowledgeable individual to serve as Director for Cornell’s Hudson Valley Laboratory (CHL), which supports fruit, vegetable and grain crops throughout the Hudson Valley region of New York. CHVL is a partnership between CALS and the Hudson Valley Research Laboratory (HVRL), which is a farmers’ alliance. The laboratory building and associated research farm that house and support CHVL programming are located in Highland, New York. The area is a significant agricultural region where crops like tree fruits, stone fruits, berries, vegetables as well as wine and hard cider production abound.

The Director for CHVL will serve as a strategic leader and manager while conducting cutting edge research and extension that contributes to CHVL’s mission. These activities should support horticulture and grain crop production on Hudson Valley farms and should complement research and extension conducted by other investigators at CHVL and Cornell CALS. The Director will report to the Director of Cornell AgriTech (the New York Agricultural Experiment Station) in Geneva, NY.

The director will work with a range of stakeholders and partners including the farming community, HVRL, foundations, Cornell CALS and Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) leadership, and CHVL-based faculty and staff to develop and implement a research and extension strategy. Scientists and staff located at CHVL will be supervised by the Director. Close interaction and partnership with the CCE Eastern Commercial Horticulture Team, and CCE Associations in the Hudson Valley region is expected. The director will also contribute to the management of CHVL physical assets.

The person we seek will: • Work with Cornell CALS Agriculture Experiment Stations, CCE and HVRL leadership to develop long range plans for programming and operations of CHVL. • Work with Cornell CALS and HVRL to develop a budget for CHVL and oversee day to day spending, including recommendations on facility operations and needs. • Provide advice, guidance, and support to research and extension professionals based at CHVL. • Manage daily activities of staff in terms of productivity, teamwork, personal development, and following Cornell values; provide guidance to staff on how to best accomplish work goals and develop staff by assessing capabilities, finding, and assigning training; provide mentorship and guidance. • Focus on ensuring that the research and extension professionals organize and conduct work as an integrated unit and prioritize work based on stakeholder needs. • Maximize integration of Cornell Cooperative Extension regional team members and county-based extension educators to ensure comprehensive educational programming in the region. • Work with non-profits in the region whose mission align with that of CHVL to coordinate research and educational and training. • Advocate for Hudson Valley agriculture and the research and extension programming needed to further develop this critical economic sector. Seek grant funds to support CHVL operations and thereby expand research and educational programming. • Provide leadership within a culture of sustainability to serve as a model with respect to environmental stewardship and sustainable agricultural practices. • Collaborate with AgriTech, the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station and complementary Cornell units, including faculty, facilities personnel, and the offices of communications, environmental health and safety, finance, and human resources. Also engage with an array of external audiences, including private businesses, state and federal agencies, and other academic institutions in New York and beyond. • Conduct research that compliments other work at CHVL and supports Hudson Valley agriculture. Possible topical areas include crop management, cultivar and variety evaluations, automation and robotics, soil health, crop protection, and climate smart farming,; garner grant funding to support this research program.

Activities that will expand your knowledge and skills: • Direction of and day-to-day involvement in agricultural research and extension; working with leaders in ag research, education, and industry. • Engagement in a wide variety of annual and perennial crops including vegetables, grapes, orchards, and small grains. • Opportunity to build and sustain a research and educational organization that is a unique partnership of stakeholders and Cornell CALS. • Interaction with regional, state, and national NGOs and government representatives on agriculture and economic development issues, workforce development, and sustainability. • Opportunity to work with agriculture researchers from around the world.

Who we are: CHVL is an integral part of Cornell AgriTech. At Cornell AgriTech we grow things. We grow fruits, vegetables, and the industries they support. Our renowned scientists conduct ground breaking, interdisciplinary research and discovery in our laboratories and research farms. The work of our faculty, staff and students covers a range of food and plant research from farm to fork, from plant pests to biofuels, and from food security to climate change. Whether it’s apples or broccoli or industrial hemp, we grow crops to test our ideas first-hand.

Cornell AgriTech is part of Cornell’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, a pioneer of purpose-driven science and Cornell University’s second-largest college. We work across disciplines to tackle the challenges of our time through world-renowned research, education, and outreach. The questions we probe and the answers we seek focus on three overlapping concerns: natural and human systems; food, energy, and environmental resources; and social, physical, and economic well-being.

Qualifications: We require a PhD in a relevant discipline and strong strategic, methodological, and conceptual skills, and a systemic understanding of research that supports regional agriculture. The successful applicant will have several years’ experience in a leadership position involving interdisciplinary groups, strong management skills, and will take an integrative, systems approach.

How to apply: Interested candidates should apply online at Academic Jobs Online at https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/21209 with a Cover Letter, Curriculum Vitae, a statement of diversity, equity, and inclusion and names and contact information for three references.