Research And Development Manager

The I&O Psychology Hub; Gauteng; On-site; ZAR 600 000 - 800 000; Full time

Job summary

An agricultural company in South Africa is seeking a Research and Development Manager to oversee the development of innovative plant nutrition products. The successful candidate will lead cross-functional research efforts and ensure the company remains at the forefront of plant nutrition technology. A Master's degree in Biotechnology or Agronomy, along with 10 years of industry experience and leadership skills, is required for this position.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in the Agriculture Industry.
• 5+ years of experience leading teams.
• Fluent in Afrikaans / English.

Responsibilities

• Lead the formulation and development of new plant nutrition products.
• Evaluate opportunities to enhance the effectiveness of plant nutrition.
• Perform project and product feasibility studies.
• Define and implement an R&D roadmap.
• Design trial protocols and analyze data.

Skills

Team leadership

Project management

Product development

Data analysis

Technical troubleshooting

Education

Master’s Degree in Biotechnology or Agronomy

Job description

Our client in the Agricultural Industry in Springs, has an opportunity for a Research and Development Manager to join their team.

The successful candidate will lead and oversee the development of innovative plant nutrition products that meet market needs.

This role drives scientific discovery, product improvement and process optimization by coordinating cross-functional research efforts, collaborating with internal teams and external partners.

The R&D Manager ensures that the company remains at the forefront of plant nutrition technology.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead the formulation and development of new Plant Nutrition products.
• Evaluate opportunities that will enhance the effectiveness of Plant Nutrition by improving crop performance.
• Perform project and product feasibility studies.
• Define and implement a R&D roadmap aligned with business goals and market trends in order to define short and long term projects.
• Apply scientific methods to support research findings.
• Design trial protocols, oversee the management of the research projects, analyse data and write reports within the required timelines.
• Maintain good documentation practices for protocols and reports, develop SOP's.
• Support product registration process.
• Troubleshoot technical issues during production phases.
• Hands-on involvement with experiments in the laboratory, greenhouse and field trials.
• Manage the routine activities in the laboratory.
• Foster a culture of innovation, safety and continuous learning and collaboration within the R&D department.
• Improve the knowledge of biotechnology within the agronomic team.
• Lead and mentor junior members of the team.
• Allocate resources, manage R&D budgets, and track project timelines.
• Bring world class trends to the business.

Desired Experience & Qualifications

• Master’s Degree in a field of Biotechnology (Biochemistry, Microbiology, Plant Physiology) or Traditional Agronomy.
• Minimum of 10 years’ experience in the Agriculture Industry.
• 5+ years of experience leading teams.
• Fluent in Afrikaans / English.