Technical Agronomist

Requirements:

• MSc or PhD in Agriculture, Plant Science, Plant Pathology, Plant Breeding, or a related field (required).
• AVCASA in Crop Protection and/or BASOS/FERTASA certification (preferred).
• SACNASP registration or eligibility will be advantageous.
• 35 years of experience in agronomic research or a technical role within the agricultural sector.
• Proven experience designing and conducting agricultural trials.
• Demonstrated involvement in writing or contributing to scientific publications; authorship of peer-reviewed articles will be advantageous.
• Proficient in R/R Studio or similar statistical analysis tools.
• Strong knowledge of plant nutrition, crop production systems, and soil science.
• Experience working with liquid seaweed biostimulants is highly beneficial.
• Familiarity with GIS, remote sensing, and precision agriculture tools.
• Valid drivers licence.

Soft Skills & Attitributes:

• Strong critical thinking and data interpretation abilities.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Capable of working both independently and within a team.
• Willingness to travel extensively and work in field conditions.
• Highly organised, proactive, and detail-oriented.
• Comfortable presenting technical information to both scientific and commercial audiences.

Responsibilities but not limited to:

Trial Design, Execution, and Data Analysis

• Plan, execute, and manage controlled agronomic trials across various crops.
• Develop detailed protocols and SOPs based on current scientific literature and best practices.
• Manage internal teams to ensure data quality, adherence to protocols, and timely delivery of results.
• Perform rigorous data analysis using statistical software (especially R/RStudio) to extract meaningful insights.
• Ensure trial data is presented in a scientifically sound, visually compelling, and commercially relevant format.

Technical Advisory and Client Engagement

• Provide agronomic and technical support to farmers, distributors, and internal teams.
• Translate trial data and research findings into practical on-farm recommendations.
• Investigate and resolve technical product queries or client complaints, producing clear and detailed reports.
• Maintain strong relationships with strategic partners, distributors, growers, and relevant industry bodies.

Scientific Contribution and Knowledge Integration

• Stay abreast of emerging trends in plant science, soil health, crop nutrition, and biostimulantsparticularly seaweed extracts.
• Contribute to internal product development initiatives and support expansion of existing offerings.
• Present findings at industry events, internal meetings, and scientific platforms.
• Collaborate on written content for peer-reviewed journals, popular articles, and technical bulletins.

Internal Collaboration and Strategy Alignment

• Work closely with the Applied Science Manager and other internal stakeholders to align research priorities with company goals.
• Support the marketing and sales teams by providing technical input for campaigns and training sessions.
• Contribute to the company's broader innovation and sustainability goals through ongoing professional development and cross-department collaboration.
• Responsible for managing and overseeing department interns, including allocation of tasks, onâtheâjob training, and ongoing supervision.

Please note: If you do not receive a response within 2 weeks of submitting your application, please consider your application unsuccessful.