Small Farm Economics Research Assistant
The Small Farm Economics Lab is a new applied research group being established by Dr. Adauto Rocha at UC Santa Cruz. The lab aims to advance equitable, data-informed agricultural policy and economic research focused on small and socially disadvantaged farmers.
This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute directly to the lab’s development and help shape its early projects and activities.
Lab Objectives:
- Train undergraduate and graduate students in applied economics, data collection, and policy analysis related to California agriculture.
- Provide actionable insights for UC ANR advisors, Cooperative Extension, policymakers, and nonprofit partners.
- Support historically underserved farming communities with economic data, policy briefs, and impact evaluations.
- Promote collaboration across UC campuses, Cooperative Extension advisors, and community-based organizations.
We are seeking a motivated undergraduate student interested in gaining hands-on research experience in agricultural and applied economics. The selected student will work with Dr. Adauto Rocha on needs assessments, data collection, and research activities that support informed farm management and policymaking in California.
Required Skills:
- Interest in agricultural, environmental, or applied economics
- Strong verbal communication skills in English
- Basic proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
- Basic background in statistics
Desired Skills:
- Fluency in Spanish
- Basic knowledge of Stata, RStudio, or other data analysis tools
Example Projects:
- Conduct studies to assess small farm communities’ needs
- Help develop cost studies and budgeting tools for small farmers
- Support the creation of apps and dashboards to make market information accessible
- Assist in preparing reports and summaries of economic impact studies
- Collaborate with partners on projects related to rural development and sustainable farming
Responsibilities:
- Data Collection and Analysis (85%)
- Data collection and entry (55%): Survey small farmers and stakeholders in California; organize and document datasets.
- Data analysis and reporting (30%): Support data cleaning, basic analysis, and writing and formatting short reports or visual summaries.
- Administrative and Communication Support (15%)
- Assist Dr. Rocha with outreach, scheduling, and communication with project partners and collaborators.
Because the Small Farm Economics Lab is just being established, this position offers a unique opportunity to take part in building a new research program from the ground up. The candidate will gain valuable skills in economic data analysis, research communication, and teamwork, while contributing
Misconduct Disclosure Requirement:
As a condition of employment, the final candidate who accepts a conditional 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; received notice of any allegations or are currently the subject of any administrative or disciplinary proceedings involving misconduct; have left a position after receiving notice of allegations or while under investigation in an administrative or disciplinary proceeding involving misconduct; or have filed an appeal of a finding of misconduct 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. For reference, below are UC’s policies addressing some forms of misconduct: