Lead Horticulturist & Crop Scientist-Climate-Resilient Crops

Placements24; Cape Town; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical insurance

Retirement plan

Annual performance bonus

Professional development funding

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Horticulturalist & Crop Scientist to spearhead R&D in Cape Town, Western Cape. You will direct cutting-edge research on high-value crops, leading a team of scientists and technicians from lab to field.

The role requires a PhD with 8+ years of post-doctoral leadership, expertise in plant physiology, genetics, and crop management, and strong statistical analysis skills. Travel domestically and internationally may be required.

Qualifications

• PhD in Horticulture, Plant Science, Agronomy, or closely related field.
• Minimum 8 years of post-doctoral research experience with leadership responsibilities.
• Demonstrated expertise in plant physiology, genetics, breeding, and crop management for horticultural species.
• Proven ability to design and conduct complex field and lab experiments.
• Strong proficiency in statistical analysis software (R, SAS) and experimental design.

Responsibilities

• Direct research initiatives on development of new horticultural crops and improvement of existing ones.
• Mentor and lead multidisciplinary team of horticulturalists, agronomists, and researchers.
• Design and execute field trials and greenhouse experiments to evaluate performance and yield.
• Analyze data and prepare concise reports with actionable insights.
• Develop propagation, cultivation, and harvesting protocols for high-value crops.
• Ensure compliance with quality standards throughout R&D processes.
• Stay updated with scientific literature and regulatory changes in horticulture.
• Collaborate with commercial teams to align research with market demands.

Skills

Leadership

Team mentoring

Statistical analysis

Plant physiology

Crop management

Science communication

Travel willingness

Education

PhD in Horticulture or Plant Science

Tools

R

SAS

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Lead Horticulturalist & Crop Scientist to spearhead R&D in Cape Town, Western Cape. You will direct cutting-edge research on high-value crops, leading a team of scientists and technicians from lab to field.

The role requires a PhD with 8+ years of post-doctoral leadership, expertise in plant physiology, genetics, and crop management, and strong statistical analysis skills. Travel domestically and internationally may be required.