Horticulture Specialist

Job Description

Role Summery:

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Horticulture Specialist, who will support the planning and monitoring of operations in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) facilities, including low to high tech greenhouses and vertical farms. These facilities are designed to operate in a hot and arid climate and a key focus of the position will be to ensure effective and cost efficient mitigation of climate conditions. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing, testing and implementing solutions to monitor, measure and improve crop performance towards higher productivity and quality. This will involve working closely with the greenhouse operation team, as well as with external experts, to identify and implement best practices for growing high-quality crops in CEA facilities.

Position Description And Responsibilities

• Test and implement solutions to optimize production and crop quality in CEA facilities designed for arid and hot climate conditions
• Test and validate technologies to monitor the productivity and quality of crops grown in CEA
• Monitor crop performance to ensure that they are being grown under optimal conditions. This involves the collection and analysis of data to determine the effect of growing conditions on crop productivity and quality
• Develop operational protocols to improve the quality and productivity of crops in CEA facilities Collaborate with other members of the agriculture team, third party operators and external experts, to identify and implement best practices for growing high-quality crops in CEA facilities
• Recommend approaches and present results leading to decisions on the use of protocols and technologies on a large scale
• Perform benchmarking studies to keep aware of technical developments and participate in meetings and workshops to present on horticulture at NEOM

Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications And Experience

• 3+ years of experience in horticulture in a CEA environment
• Knowledge of best practices for growing crops in CEA facilities
• Experience with field data collection and analysis, good statistical skills
• Attention to detail, rigor, strong work ethics and ,resul t orientation
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work autonomously and as part of a team
• Fluent English speaking and writing
• Knowledge of Arabic not ris equired but is a plus
• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in horticulture, plant science, or a related field