Summer Data Intern: Predicting Kiwifruit Conditioning

Zespri; Tauranga; On-site; NZD 28,000 - 39,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Free onsite parking

Flexible work ethos

Office in Mount Maunganui

Job summary

Zespri, the world’s leading kiwifruit marketer, offers a Summer Intern position in Tauranga to develop a data-driven tool predicting kiwifruit softening during conditioning. You will join the Conditioning Team, analyze datasets, review literature, and build predictive models to support operational decisions.

The role combines data science, modelling and postharvest research, with hands-on modelling, literature review, and model validation activities, aiming to deliver a validated metric and a

Qualifications

• Analytical mindset and curiosity for data-driven solutions.
• Interest in postharvest science and fruit physiology.
• Ability to work with time-series data and conditioning variables (time, temperature, ethylene).

Responsibilities

• Analyse historical conditioning data to identify drivers of fruit firmness.
• Develop and validate a predictive conditioning model.
• Create a practical decision-support tool for conditioning decisions.

Skills

Python or R

Data analysis

Statistical modelling

Education

Science or horticulture degree

Tools

Python

R

Job description

Zespri, the world’s leading kiwifruit marketer, offers a Summer Intern position in Tauranga to develop a data-driven tool predicting kiwifruit softening during conditioning. You will join the Conditioning Team, analyze datasets, review literature, and build predictive models to support operational decisions.

The role combines data science, modelling and postharvest research, with hands-on modelling, literature review, and model validation activities, aiming to deliver a validated metric and a