Due to continued expansion, Meade Farm Group, are looking for an experienced Agronomist specialising in root crops to head up the team of dedicated field service personnel - based at our Lobinstown site, in Navan, Co. Meath.
The Job:
Develop, execute and coordinate all the process and procedures to enhance crop production and soil management so as to achieve the company’s strategy, growth and profit objectives. The successful candidate will be focusing on providing technical guidance using cutting edge growing techniques for the planning and optimisation / quality of all crop growth. We are looking for a candidate with extensive technical knowledge across all aspects of potato, fruit & veg production and storage, and the passion and drive to help our growers get the best quality and yields from their crops.
Key Duties and responsibilities
Conduct detailed monitoring of the growth and development of crops.
Carry out quality evaluation on harvest samples.
Accurate forecasting of crop supply.
Establish strong relationships with both current and new growers.
Conduct a range of field experiments to optimise yields.
Ability to motivate our current grower base and build their confidence in their crops.
Assist growers in all areas of crop production.
Qualifications/Experience
Candidates must have a Level 6 qualification in agriculture, crop science or a related discipline.
Experience of planning and conducting field trial experiments.
Particular in-depth expertise on some aspect of crop production; whether seed, soils, plant physiology, crop protection or storage, which could form the basis of further career development.
Key behaviours/Competencies
You will need to be a great team player and work alongside our General Manager and Farm Manager and also our Commercial departments to ensure accurate forecasting of potato and vegetable supply issues using a range of data collection methods.
As you will be leading the Agronomy team, excellent organisational and interpersonal skills are required, along with an ability to develop strong relationships with new and existing potato and vegetable suppliers.
Given the current challenges of the potato and vegetable industry, we’re looking for an enthusiastic and resilient individual with excellent communication skills, who can motivate our grower base and build their confidence in the crop.
Demonstrate a high level of competency and confidence in using IT systems, including the Microsoft Office programs and capacity to learn new programs quickly.
Demonstrate initiative and a flexible approach to issues. Ability to work well under pressure, plan and organise workloads to meet deadlines.
Good understanding of Agronomy related scientific methods.
Strong reasoning and logical decision making skills.
Ability to effectively manage deadlines.
Ability to effectively communicate complex messages to all related personnel.
Strong project management skills.
Full Driver’s Licence required.
We thank all applicants, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
We are an Equal Opportunities Employer.
Please send all relevant CVs to grahammonaghan@meadefarm.ie with Agronomist in the subject line.