Job Announcement

Undergraduate Assistant II

Position Description

The Horticulture Innovation Lab within the Department of Plant Sciences is looking for an undergraduate employee (Assistant II or III) to provide weekly garden upkeep and maintenance of our Demonstration Center on campus. We are looking for a creative and open-minded individual with a willingness to work independently and as part of a team.

The Horticulture Innovation Lab is a Feed the Future initiative to improve the lives of smallholder fruit and vegetable growers around the world. To support global activities, a significant amount of gardening work needs to be accomplished at UC Davis office site, hence the need for an assistant to help with tasks at the demo center.  The Horticulture Innovation Lab’s demonstration center is a place to showcase horticultural technologies and practices to colleagues visiting from California, the greater US, and around the world. This is an active site that engages students, faculty, and staff to test new technologies and demonstrate best practices and new techniques relevant to horticulture in developing countries.

 Requirements:

• Related to the demonstration center:
  •  Experience on a small farm in the US or abroad, experience growing vegetables, and an understanding of plant growth, gardening, water needs, and weeding.
  •  Experience teaching or conducting training related to horticulture, agriculture, technologies, or other related topics.
  •  Experience with basic construction, ability to lift 25-50lbs, maneuver wheelbarrows and utilize other hand tools (hammer, saw, drills) safely.
• Related to the position generally:
  • Employee must be excited to work with a dedicated team, take direction, and participate in making decisions about the demonstration site.
  • Much of the day-to-day work will be done with little direct supervision; a student must be able to work independently and solve problems as they come up.  
  • Available at least 10 hours per week throughout the school year and 20 hours per week through the summer break. (negotiable)

Responsibilities:

• Related to the demonstration center:
  • General garden upkeep: planting, weeding, watering, and other plant care as needed. We have two large raised beds that have African and Asian vegetable varieties, and 4 small raised beds with rotating trials.
  • Basic construction, irrigation maintenance (put together small drip irrigation), assist with larger projects like installing solar panels or building solar driers.
  • Related to the position in general
• Able to check with the Program Officer regularly for any needs of the demo center

To Apply:

• Please submit your resume and a brief cover letter describing your motivation and reasons why you want to work on this project.  

Apply by: March 4th, 2024
Salary Range:$16/hr. 
To Apply:  Click “Apply” on https://app.joinhandshake.com/emp/jobs/8689311

About 
Funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and based at the University of California, Davis, within the Department of Plant Sciences, we work collaboratively with in-country partners to prioritize thought leadership, research management, and capacity strengthening within Africa, Central America, and South Asia.