Junior Potato Agronomist

At Manor Fresh Ltd, people are at the heart of our business and we believe in the importance of everyone's contribution to our success.

We are looking for a Junior Potato Agronomist / Trials Technician to join our small but highly experienced Agronomy and Innovation team.

This is a fantastic opportunity for someone with an interest in agronomy to learn in depth and at speed, working alongside experienced agronomists to become a key player in our business. You will spend around 3-4 days a week on agronomy and general potato management, and 1-2 days a week on trials, depending on the time of year.

Key Responsibilities:

• Best practice: delivering best practice potato agronomy to our quality-focused group of growers.
• Crop monitoring: monitoring crops alongside the existing field agronomist and procurement team.
• Field trials: undertaking and assisting in customer-sponsored field research aimed at improving yield and quality, and delivering new technologies across a diverse range of potato crops and growing systems.
• Variety development: planting, monitoring and eventually managing a small, customer-focused variety development programme, including harvesting potato trials and undertaking post-harvest grading and analysis.
• Test digging: carrying out test digging pre- and post-desiccation on crops and trials.
• Service quality: delivering a quality service in its broadest sense, which exceeds customer expectations.

Requirements:

• An interest in agricultural agronomy, with some basic knowledge of or experience in potato growing.
• Undergoing BASIS training or recently BASIS qualified.
• An interest in trials and data management, or experience in field trials.
• Capable of developing the technical skills to become a respected industry potato agronomist.
• Able to work to timelines, be flexible, and problem-solve swiftly and pragmatically.
• Shows initiative, drive and enthusiasm.

The role will, at times, involve physical and manual tasks (e.g. fieldwork, digging, lifting), so applicants should be comfortable with this aspect of the role.