Senior Horticultural Scientist – Protected Cultivation

Placements24; Pretoria; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Paid time off

Research facilities

Conferences

Professional development

Competitive salary

Job summary

Placements24 in Pretoria, Gauteng, is seeking a Horticultural Scientist focused on protected cultivation. You will design, conduct, and evaluate experiments in greenhouse and other controlled environments to advance crop physiology and sustainability.

You will collaborate with researchers and farm managers to optimize nutrition, irrigation, lighting, climate control, and pest management while staying current with literature and industry trends.

Qualifications

• PhD or MSc in Horticulture, Plant Science, Agronomy or related field with controlled environment specialization.
• Minimum of 5 years of research experience in horticulture focusing on protected cropping systems.
• Strong knowledge of plant physiology, soil science, entomology and plant pathology relevant to protected environments.
• Experience in experimental design, data collection and statistical analysis.
• Familiarity with greenhouse technology, hydroponics and other soilless systems.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for presenting findings.
• Proficiency in scientific software and data analysis tools.

Responsibilities

• Design, conduct, and analyze scientific experiments related to protected cultivation of various crops.
• Investigate and optimize plant nutrition, irrigation, lighting, and climate control systems in greenhouses and other controlled environments.
• Develop and implement integrated pest and disease management strategies for protected cropping systems.
• Monitor crop growth and development, assessing plant health, yield, and quality parameters.
• Research and evaluate new varieties, technologies, and cultural practices for protected cultivation.
• Collect, interpret, and report experimental data, preparing scientific reports and presentations.
• Collaborate with farm managers and technicians to ensure the practical application of research findings.
• Stay current with scientific literature and industry trends in horticulture and protected cultivation.

Skills

Research experience

Data analysis

Problem solving

Scientific communication

Team collaboration

Education

PhD or MSc in Horticulture

Tools

R

Python

Job description

Placements24 in Pretoria, Gauteng, is seeking a Horticultural Scientist focused on protected cultivation. You will design, conduct, and evaluate experiments in greenhouse and other controlled environments to advance crop physiology and sustainability.

You will collaborate with researchers and farm managers to optimize nutrition, irrigation, lighting, climate control, and pest management while staying current with literature and industry trends.