Horticulturist – Berry IPM & Field Trials Lead

Costa; Atherton; On-site; AUD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid parental leave

Full IT kit

Job summary

Costa is seeking a Horticulturist to join our Berry team in Far North Queensland. This permanent, field-based role focuses on crop health, IPM, nutrition and irrigation across FNQ farms.

Reporting to the Horticulture Manager, you will turn data into practical recommendations and work across multiple farms. Ideal candidates have a degree in Horticulture and experience in commercial production, with strong scouting and data-interpretation skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Horticulture or equivalent.
• Experience in commercial horticultural production, preferably berries or high-value crops.
• Solid knowledge of crop scouting, pest and disease identification and Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
• Knowledge of crop nutrition and irrigation in soil or substrate systems.
• Understanding of chemical labels, permits, withholding periods, MRLs and rotation.
• Ability to interpret field data and translate findings into practical actions.

Responsibilities

• Monitor crop health, nutrition, irrigation, pests and disease across farms.
• Lead IPM strategies using scouting data to guide control decisions.
• Coordinate and support farm scouts, including data collection and training.
• Schedule spray requests based on field scouting and crop needs.
• Assist with horticultural trials and improvement programs to boost yield and ROI.
• Analyse monitoring and trial results and communicate findings to farm teams.
• Support activities while ensuring IPM programs stay within seasonal budgets.
• Collaborate with the Horticulture Manager and farm teams to identify risks to crop health and yield.

Skills

Commercial horticulture experience

Crop scouting knowledge

IPM knowledge

Crop nutrition & irrigation

Data interpretation

Driver's license

Education

Bachelor's degree in Horticulture

Job description

Costa is seeking a Horticulturist to join our Berry team in Far North Queensland. This permanent, field-based role focuses on crop health, IPM, nutrition and irrigation across FNQ farms.

Reporting to the Horticulture Manager, you will turn data into practical recommendations and work across multiple farms. Ideal candidates have a degree in Horticulture and experience in commercial production, with strong scouting and data-interpretation skills.