Remote Agricultural Data Scientist - Sustainable Farming

Placements24; Stellenbosch; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Fully remote

Generous leave

Home office stipend

Professional development

Impactful sustainability projects

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a highly analytical Remote Agricultural Data Scientist to drive data-driven decisions across diverse farming operations. You will work with sensors, drones, and logs to build predictive models that optimize resource use and sustainability.

In this fully remote role, you will collaborate with agronomic teams, farm managers, and IT specialists to translate complex data into actionable insights, develop dashboards, and stay at the forefront of agricultural data science.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in a quantitative field (Data Science/AgriSci).
• 5+ years of experience in data science with predictive analytics.
• Strong programming in Python or R and ML libraries.

Responsibilities

• Develop ML models for yield prediction and resource management.
• Analyze IoT sensors, satellite imagery, and operational data to derive insights.
• Design experiments to test hypotheses and validate model performance.
• Create visualizations and dashboards to communicate findings to stakeholders.

Skills

Python

R

TensorFlow

PyTorch

scikit-learn

Tableau/Power BI

Education

Master's or PhD in Data Science, Statistics, CS, or Agricultural Science

Tools

SQL/NoSQL databases

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a highly analytical and innovative Remote Agricultural Data Scientist to drive data-driven decision-making across their diverse farming operations. This fully remote position allows you to leverage vast datasets from sensors, drones, and operational logs to develop predictive models, optimize resource allocation, and enhance sustainable practices. You will collaborate with agronomic teams, farm managers, and IT specialists to translate complex data into actionable insights that improve yield, reduce waste, and promote environmental stewardship. This is an exceptional opportunity for a seasoned data scientist with a passion for agriculture to work from anywhere and contribute to the future of farming.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop, implement, and refine machine learning models for yield prediction, disease forecasting, and optimal resource management (water, fertilizer).
• Analyze large datasets from various sources (IoT sensors, satellite imagery, operational data) to identify trends and insights.
• Design and execute experiments to test hypotheses and validate model performance.
• Collaborate with agronomists and farm managers to understand their challenges and translate them into data science problems.
• Develop data visualizations and dashboards to communicate findings and recommendations effectively to stakeholders.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in agricultural data science, AI, and machine learning.

Requirements

• Master's or Ph.D. in Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, Agricultural Science, or a related quantitative field.
• Proven experience (5+ years) as a Data Scientist, with a strong focus on statistical modeling, machine learning, and predictive analytics.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R, and relevant libraries (e.g., TensorFlow, PyTorch, scikit-learn).
• Experience with data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) and SQL/NoSQL databases.
• Familiarity with agricultural concepts, data types, and challenges is highly desirable.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively in a remote team environment.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and potential for performance bonuses.
• Fully remote work arrangement, offering significant flexibility.
• Generous annual leave and paid time off.
• Contribution towards home office setup and professional development.
• Opportunity to work on cutting-edge projects impacting sustainable agriculture globally.