Senior Soil Scientist - Hybrid, Sustainable Agriculture

Placements24; Willows (CA); Hybrid; USD 53,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical aid

Retirement fund

Generous annual leave

Professional development

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking an experienced Senior Soil Scientist to lead soil health research for sustainable agriculture in Welkom, Free State. The role combines field and lab work with data-driven insights and collaboration with agronomists and extension officers.

You will design experiments, analyze soil data, and develop strategies to improve fertility, water retention, and crop performance in challenging environmental conditions. Travel to field sites within the Free State is expected.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 6 years of professional experience in soil science research, with agricultural applications.
• Experience in experimental design, data collection, and advanced statistical analysis of soil data.
• Knowledge of South African soils, agricultural systems, and environmental challenges.

Responsibilities

• Design, implement, and manage field and laboratory studies on soil chemistry, physics, and biology.
• Conduct detailed soil analysis including nutrients, organic matter, pH, texture, and structure.
• Develop soil management strategies to enhance fertility, water retention, and erosion control.
• Analyze large datasets of soil properties, climate data, and crop yields using statistical software.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to apply soil health findings to sustainability programs.

Skills

Experiment design

Data analysis

Soil analysis

Education

PhD or MSc in Soil Science or related field

Tools

R

SPSS

GIS

Job description

Placements24 is seeking an experienced Senior Soil Scientist to lead soil health research for sustainable agriculture in Welkom, Free State. The role combines field and lab work with data-driven insights and collaboration with agronomists and extension officers.

You will design experiments, analyze soil data, and develop strategies to improve fertility, water retention, and crop performance in challenging environmental conditions. Travel to field sites within the Free State is expected.