Senior Agricultural Data Scientist

Placements24; Midrand; Hybrid; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Paid time off

Professional development opportunities

Remote work stipend

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a highly analytical Senior Agricultural Data Scientist to join a pioneering team in a fully remote capacity. You will work with large datasets from crop yields, soil conditions, weather patterns, and market trends to drive insights for sustainable farming.

Ideal candidates hold a Master’s or PhD in a quantitative field, 5+ years in data science, and strong skills in Python/R, ML, and cloud platforms.

Qualifications

• Master's or Ph.D. in Data Science, Agricultural Science, Statistics, Computer Science, or related quantitative field.
• Minimum 5 years of data science experience, with a focus on agriculture or related bios/environmental sciences.
• Proficiency in Python or R and data libraries (Pandas, NumPy, Scikit-lelearn).
• Experience with big data technologies (Spark, Hadoop) and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP).
• Strong understanding of statistical modeling, ML algorithms, and data visualization techniques.
• Excellent communication skills for remote collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Develop and deploy ML models to predict yields and optimize resources.
• Analyze large agricultural datasets to uncover trends and inefficiencies.
• Design data collection strategies ensuring data integrity from IoT sensors and satellite imagery.
• Collaborate with agronomists, farm managers, and software engineers to implement data-driven strategies.
• Present findings via visualizations and reports to stakeholders.
• Stay updated on advances in data science and agricultural technology.

Skills

Statistical modeling

Data visualization

Communication

Remote collaboration

Education

Master's or PhD in Data Science or related field

Tools

Python

R

Pandas

NumPy

Scikit-learn

Spark

Hadoop

AWS

Azure

GCP

SQL

Job description

About the Role

Our client is seeking a highly analytical and experienced Senior Agricultural Data Scientist to join their pioneering team, operating in a fully remote capacity. This role is crucial for driving innovation in sustainable agriculture through advanced data analysis and predictive modeling. You will work with vast datasets derived from crop yields, soil conditions, weather patterns, and market trends to provide actionable insights that optimize farming practices and enhance operational efficiency across diverse agricultural projects. This position offers a unique opportunity to leverage cutting-edge technologies and contribute to the future of farming, supported by a collaborative and forward-thinking organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and implement sophisticated machine learning models to predict crop yields, identify disease outbreaks, and optimize resource allocation (water, fertilizer).
• Analyze large-scale agricultural datasets to uncover trends, identify inefficiencies, and propose data-driven solutions for farming operations.
• Design and manage data collection strategies, ensuring data integrity and accuracy from various sources, including IoT sensors and satellite imagery.
• Collaborate with agronomists, farm managers, and software engineers to translate complex data findings into practical, implementable strategies for agricultural sustainability .
• Present findings and recommendations to stakeholders through compelling visualizations and clear, concise reports, facilitating informed decision-making.
• Stay abreast of the latest advancements in data science, machine learning, and agricultural technology to continuously improve analytical capabilities.

Requirements

• Master's or Ph.D. in Data Science, Agricultural Science, Statistics, Computer Science, or a related quantitative field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in data science , with a significant portion focused on the agriculture sector or related biological/environmental sciences.
• Proficiency in programming languages such as Python or R, and expertise with data manipulation and analysis libraries (e.g., Pandas, NumX, Scikit-learn).
• Experience with big data technologies (e.g., Spark, Hadoop) and cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) is highly desirable.
• Strong understanding of statistical modeling, machine learning algorithms, and data visualization techniques.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to explain technical concepts to non-technical audiences in a remote work environment .

Benefits

• Highly competitive annual salary package.
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans.
• Generous paid time off and flexible working hours.
• Opportunities for professional development, including conferences and advanced training.
• Contribution to a global initiative for sustainable agriculture through impactful data analysis.
• A fully remote setup with a stipend for home office equipment.