University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources
Job Description
UC ANR is a division of the University of California (UC) system that bridges the gap between local issues and the expertise of the UC system by providing research-based information, educational programs, and technical expertise to the public in areas such as agriculture, natural resources, nutrition, and youth development. UC ANR is part of a nationwide Cooperative Extension network, which began in the early 20th century to connect research from land-grant universities with the everyday needs of people in communities across the United States. Today, we collaborate with farmers, ranchers, diverse communities, youth and adult educators, and policymakers to address local and statewide issues related to food systems, water, climate change, and sustainable agriculture through a statewide network of campus-based researchers, county-based Advisors, and community educators.
Our mission is to cultivate thriving communities, sustainable agriculture, resilient ecosystems, and economic prosperity in California and globally through equitable generation and sharing of collaborative, science-based solutions. Over 180 UCCE Advisors conduct applied research and extension education from county-based UCCE offices serving all 58 counties from 70+ locations. By working and living among those we serve, UC ANR expands the University of California's reach to engage all people and communities in California, ensuring equal access to the resources UC has to offer. Our vision is that UC ANR will be valued in every California community for meaningful engagement and making a positive difference in people's lives.
Additional Information:
- Discover our organization at UC ANR and explore our Mission.
- Through our Statewide Programs and Institutes, UC ANR academics and UC faculty collaborate in integrated teams to tackle priority problems through combined research and extension.
- Our Strategic Initiatives serve as our roadmap, helping us stay unified and effectively advocate for the work we do.
- Through our seven Public Value Statements, we share the real-world difference our research and extension work make for the public.
- We maintain a culture of equity and respect, with all UC ANR employees committed to the Civil Rights Compliance Policy.
- We champion inclusive excellence through our Principles of Community, creating a professional home where everyone, regardless of background, feels they belong and has the opportunity to grow.
Position Summary:
This position will serve as a Project Policy Analyst 3 for the Los Angeles Center for Urban Natural Resources Sustainability (“LAUC”) and separately, for the ShadeLA campaign.
For LAUC, the Project Policy Analyst will conduct a variety of research, analytical, and administrative duties with the purpose of facilitating LAUC's role as a convener. The Analyst will work closely with staff from LAUC and UC ANR to coordinate and advance project priorities. Broadly, the Analyst is expected to lead or support LAUC's activities relating to:
- Facilitating the identification of research information needs
- Aiding engagement in emerging and ongoing research
- Transferring the best available science findings to researchers and practitioners
- Inspiring a dialogue across geographic and institutional boundaries
- Identifying and developing shared research and extension priorities that can mutually benefit LAUC and UC ANR, including through LAUC's Science Program, its nursery network, and dissemination of information to aid in urban natural resource management.
For ShadeLA, the Project Policy Analyst will support the campaign across the following four goals, each rooted in research, policy, and community engagement:
- Expand shade, both natural (trees and vegetation) and built (structures, awnings, shade sails, and other built environment elements)
- Preserve and maintain existing shade
- Guide the placement of new infrastructure using shade mapping, planning, and other tools
- Inform and mobilize people through community shade planning events, story campaigns, and toolkits for residents, businesses, and schools
This position will be headquartered at the Luskin Center for Innovation, University of California Los Angeles (Center), and appointed through the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR). The position will report to the ANR Cooperative Extension Specialist stationed at UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation.
Program Summary:
The Los Angeles Center for Urban Natural Resources Sustainability (“LA Urban Center” or “LAUC”) works toward a vision of improved and enhanced urban natural resources and quality of life throughout the Los Angeles metropolitan area. LAUC serves as an information and research destination hub, where environmental, urban ecosystems, urban natural resources, and social dynamic studies serve to enhance the urban forests, urban waterways, urban wildlife, green infrastructure, and lives in the LA metro area. The LA Urban Center is a multi-faceted partnership of Federal, State, and local government partners working alongside academic, industry, private, and non-profit organizations which operates through a partnership among the USDA Forest Service (USFS), the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), and University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR).
The LA Urban Center (1) seeks out partnerships with public and private entities and community and academic-based groups, (2) coordinates events to target communications about scientifically quantifiable benefits of urban natural resources stewardship, and (3) connects urban inhabitants, including urban under-served youth, of the Los Angeles metropolitan area with stewardship and research-focused information, best management practices, best available science, and public engagement opportunities.
LAUC's research and application areas generally focus on urban natural resources sustainability and socioecological resilience including inquiries focused on trees, water, air, soil, fire, and sociocultural aspects. LAUC's work is aligned with the USDA Forest Service priorities to reduce wildfire risk, advance active forest management, and support restoration by facilitating knowledge exchange and public engagement via technical assistance meetings and programming related to urban fire planning, response, recovery, and resilience. Through these offerings, the LA Urban Center contributes to cross-boundary, research based efforts that strengthen community preparedness for wildfire and other environmental disturbances.
In its first few years, the LA Urban Center established a foundation through the efforts of City Plants, a nonprofit created by the City of Los Angeles to invest in the future of LA's urban forest. As the LA Urban Center continues its work, UC ANR, a statewide program of the University of California that shares science-based information and practices to improve the lives and livelihoods of Californians, is assuming the role of LAUC administrator, including its continued development. The Project Policy Analyst will play a key role in this, and will provide comprehensive administrative leadership and project management support to the LA Urban Center.
ShadeLA is a people-powered movement to make LA cooler, launched in July 2025 with the goal of bringing more shade to LA City and County by leveraging the attention and investments coming to the region in advance of the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games. ShadeLA is led by USC Dornsife Public Exchange in collaboration with UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation (Center), and with participation by the City of Los Angeles, County of Los Angeles Chief Sustainability Office, LA Metro and the Los Angeles Organizing Committee for the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games (LA28). Joining these collaborators are many non-governmental organizations, design firms, and other partners committed to cooling LA.
This position is a career appointment that is 50% variable and ends one year from the start date with the possibility of extension for an additional year if funding permits.
This position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement, combining remote work with on-site work at the designated office in Los Angeles. Candidates must be available to work on-site at least two days per week, with additional on-site work and travel as business needs require.
Pay Scale: $72,975.00/year to $101,325.00/year
Job Posting Close Date:
This job is open until filled. The first application review date will be 11/13/2026.
Key Responsibilities:
15%
LA Urban Center Administration - with USFS staff, manage the LAUC's day-to-day operations, develop and implement benchmark goals and long-term strategic plans, facilitate meetings and stakeholder groups, convene partners and foster partnerships, promote research studies/projects, draft documents for Center use and distribution, assemble the Executive Oversight Team, and maintain project tracking documents.
5%
Technical Assistance Meetings, Annual Meetings, and Regional Partner Convening - with USFS staff, participate in coordinating science delivery through technical assistance meetings with the goal of communicating the latest and most relevant scientific research to a diverse group of stakeholders. Specifically, LA Urban Center will host targeted communication events such as a technical assistance meeting(s) and an annual LAUC Partners Meeting.
5%
Regional Partner Outreach - with USFS staff, support outreach to LAUC partner groups, including, maintaining a contacts list of LA Urban Center partners, researching and creating content for dissemination, and sending quarterly newsletters.
5%
Nursery Network - using results from LAUC's 2025 Los Angeles Nursery Network Needs Assessment, work with USFS staff to establish a regionally coordinated nursery network to align seed collection, plant production, and distribution. The network will translate identified needs into programs - such as a shared resources hub, standardized protocols, workforce training curriculum, and pooled permitting and resource-sharing systems - piloting components through working groups and priority geographies. The LA Urban Center will steward implementation, track progress, and iteratively refine the model to ensure long-term scalability and impact.
5%
Active Forest Management & Disaster Recovery - with USFS staff, support projects, planning and logistics of convening(s) and other activities related to urban fire planning, response, recovery, and restoration.
10%
Tech Transfer and Extension - with USFS staff, facilitate the creation and dissemination of tech transfer products to provide resources and synthesized information on issues surrounding wildfire, natural resource management, active forest management, and recreation.
5%
LA Urban Center Website Maintenance - with USFS staff, ensure LAUC website is kept up to date and reflects research and extension activities and accomplishments.
30%
ShadeLA Research and Analysis - The Project Policy Analyst will conduct primary and secondary research guided by distinct research questions pertaining to shade deployment and governance, including review of secondary data sources, such as databases, peer-reviewed literature, websites, and reports. Research will also require speaking or corresponding with agency representatives, researchers, or other stakeholders. Projects may include: Policy analysis on codes and permitting process involved in shade deployment and preservation; Development of shade typologies for various site conditions and land uses that consider jurisdictional and permitting authority; Literature review on shade deployment messaging and public engagement effectiveness. Analyses following research compilation are expected to be largely qualitative in nature, but some quantitative analysis using tools such as Excel, statistical software, and/or GIS is possible. Projects will be performed independently in close coordination with the Center, ANR, and USC Public Exchange.
20%
Shade LA Project Management and Extension - The Project Policy Analyst will work closely with staff from the Center, ANR, and USC Public Exchange to coordinate and advance project priorities on a weekly basis, including attending regular project meetings. The Project Policy Analyst will also work to produce extension materials to disseminate findings from the research and promote ShadeLA activities, including through reports, presentations, fact sheets, social media posts, and other deliverables.
Requirements:
- Bachelor's degree related to environmental policy, research, and planning and / or equivalent experience / training.
- Experience related to environmental policy and planning, with demonstrated expertise and interest in resource management issues.
- Demonstrated experience managing small to mid-level projects.
- Experience developing and maintaining cooperative working relationships with individuals at various levels within a large organizational structure.
- Strong skills in data collection, research, policy analysis, and data synthesis for preparing sound and relevant proposals, analyses, and other documents.
- Strong written, oral and interpersonal communication skills, including science communication.
- Ability to multi-task within demanding timeframes.
Preferred Skills:
- Master's degree related to environmental policy, research, and planning and / or equivalent experience / training.
- Familiarity with Los Angeles-area governmental and non-governmental environmental organizations.
Special Conditions of Employment:
- Must possess valid California Driver's License to drive a County or University vehicle. Ability and means to travel on a flexible schedule as needed, proof of liability damage insurance on vehicle used is required. Reimbursement of job-related travel will be reimbursed according to University policies.
- Travel including travel outside normal business hours may be requested.
- The University reserves the right to make employment contingent upon successful completion of the background check. This is a designated position requiring a background check and may require fingerprinting due to the nature of the job responsibilities. UC ANR does hire people with conviction histories and reviews information received in the context of the job responsibilities.
- As of January 1, 2014, ANR is a smoke- and tobacco-free environment in which smoking, the use of smokeless tobacco products, and the use of unregulated nicotine products (e-cigarettes), is strictly prohibited.
- As a condition of employment, you will be required to comply with the University of California Policy on Vaccination Programs, as may be amended or revised from time to time. Federal, state, or local public health directives may impose additional requirements.
- Misconduct Disclosure Requirement: As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts an offer of employment will be required to disclose if they have been subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of substantiated misconduct with a previous employer.
1. “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies governing employee conduct at the applicant's previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, or discrimination, as defined by the employer. For reference, below are UC's policies addressing some forms of misconduct:
To apply, please visit: https://careerspub.universityofcalifornia.edu/psc/ucanr/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST_FL&JobOpeningId=89743&PostingSeq=1&SiteId=17&languageCd=ENG&FOCUS=Applicant
