Remote Senior Agricultural Data Scientist: Yield & Insights

Placements24; Pretoria; Hybrid; ZAR 1,200,000 - 2,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work

Competitive compensation

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Home office stipend

Professional development

Job summary

Placements24 seeks a Senior Agricultural Data Scientist for a fully remote position. You will analyze vast agricultural datasets to build predictive models that improve crop yields, optimize resource use, and support sustainable farming practices.

The candidate should have 7+ years in data science with a strong background in Python/R, SQL, and cloud/big data tools, and be able to collaborate with agronomists and stakeholders to translate insights into business value.

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in Data Science, Statistics, Computer Science, Agronomy, or a related quantitative field.
• Minimum of 7 years of experience in data science, with a significant focus on agricultural applications.
• Expertise in programming languages such as Python or R, and proficiency with relevant libraries (e.g., Pandas, NumPy, Scikit-learn, TensorFlow, PyTorch).
• Strong experience with SQL and database management.
• Proven ability to apply statistical modeling and machine learning techniques to real-world problems.
• Experience with big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Hadoop) is a plus.
• Familiarity with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) for data science workloads.
• Excellent problem-solving, analytical, and critical thinking skills.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex findings clearly.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively in a remote team environment.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement advanced statistical models and machine learning algorithms for agricultural data analysis.
• Extract, clean, and transform large, complex datasets from various agricultural sources (e.g., IoT sensors, satellite imagery, weather data, farm records).
• Build predictive models for crop yield forecasting, disease prediction, and optimal resource allocation.
• Design and conduct A/B tests and experiments to evaluate the effectiveness of new farming strategies.
• Visualize data and model results using dashboards and reports for diverse stakeholders.
• Collaborate closely with agronomists and domain experts to understand challenges and identify data-driven solutions.
• Develop data pipelines and automate data processing workflows.
• Mentor junior data scientists and contribute to the overall data science strategy.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in data science, machine learning, and their applications in agriculture.
• Present findings and recommendations to senior management and cross-functional teams.

Skills

Python

R

SQL

Pandas

NumPy

Scikit-learn

TensorFlow

PyTorch

Cloud platforms

Remote collaboration

Education

Master's or PhD in Data Science

Tools

Spark

Hadoop

Job description

Placements24 seeks a Senior Agricultural Data Scientist for a fully remote position. You will analyze vast agricultural datasets to build predictive models that improve crop yields, optimize resource use, and support sustainable farming practices.

The candidate should have 7+ years in data science with a strong background in Python/R, SQL, and cloud/big data tools, and be able to collaborate with agronomists and stakeholders to translate insights into business value.