Manager, Agronomy Sr.

Responsibilities

• Guide and support regional agronomists with hands-on field activities: irrigation systems design, fertility programs, pest and disease management protocols, pruning practices, and harvesting optimization.
• Work with Harvest, Operations (non-harvest), and Production Services to ensure alignment and efficiency in agronomic practices.
• Support the implementation of regenerative agriculture practices (e.g., cover crops, composting, soil biology, and bio controls).
• Lead field diagnosis and problem-solving using structured root cause analysis.
• Ensure all agronomic decisions are based on crop data, field observations, and environmental factors.
• Analyze trial data and create clear, actionable reports for operations.
• Comply with all labor laws, prime audits, food safety, company policy, and workers' safety.
• Work with Driscoll’s pathology in developing Reiter’s organic program.
• Meet with district managers biweekly to ensure alignment with district needs.
• Participate in district production meetings at least once a quarter.
• Assist local production teams on agronomic planning.
• Ensure the agronomy team is embedded with local production teams, fostering strong alignment and a sense of "One Team."
• Work with the Agronomy Technical Lead and Agronomy Strategy Lead to prioritize projects at district and regional levels.
• Determine and manage how growth medium responds to scientific management techniques and implement findings.
• Apply agricultural data and information into trends, reportable, actionable, and sustainable methods.
• Set up, execute, and evaluate field trials for Agrodata projects or other agronomic practices.
• Collaborate with Driscoll’s agronomists to enhance the agronomy program.
• Install, maintain, and evaluate horticultural trials, reporting results and driving adoption (focus areas may include trellis, pruning, tunnels, frost control, plant date, and source).
• Develop acreage study standards to support the expansion of the agronomy model farming.
• Ensure succession plans for the district agronomy team.
• Create a development plan for the team to ensure retention and career growth within the agronomy department.
• Collaborate with the agronomy technical lead to provide educational materials and presentations to enhance team skills.
• Create accountability within local agronomy teams to support production.
• Lead field trials and evaluations for new products, technologies, inputs, and tools.
• Develop protocols and methodology to assess efficacy, sustainability, and ROI of new products and tools (e.g., biostimulants, sensors, automation tech).
• Collaborate with Driscoll’s R&D teams and external partners for innovation scouting and product pipeline evaluation.
• Translate findings into actionable recommendations for production teams.
• Provide technical reports and presentations to stakeholders for decision-making.
• Learn and implement the latest production practices from within the RAC organization, universities, and industry resources to deliver competitive advantage.
• Engage with internal and external resources, including universities, substrate grower peers, and DSA and RAC knowledge networks.
• Communicate methods and results to peers and colleagues.
• Work with Driscoll’s to advance the use of technology and scientific plant development.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Sciences or related field.
• 7-10 years of relevant experience in Agronomy or a related field.
• 5+ years of leadership experience, either directly or indirectly managing a team of 2 or more.
• PCA, CCA, or similar certification/license is a plus.
• Expertise in berry crop management and sustainable practices.
• Strong diagnostic and analytical thinking.
• Experience in field trial design and statistical interpretation.
• Knowledge of substrate/soil, drip irrigation, biostimulation, plant nutrition chemistry, biocontrols, and pesticides.
• Sound understanding of agronomic principles and scientific methods (e.g., providing nutrition through growing media, reverse osmosis systems, pathogens).
• Ability to plan and conduct work requiring judgment and independent evaluation, selection, modification, and application of standard procedures and techniques.
• Proven ability to solve unusual and complex problems.
• Outstanding stewardship, relationship-building, and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent managerial and financial skills in crop budgeting and planning.
• High level of organizational and time management skills.
• Ability to manage and/or supervise and coordinate the activities of other staff.
• Fluency in English and Spanish (75-85% proficiency in Spanish required).
• Ability to test and interpret soil chemistry for pH and EC and correct imbalances.
• Proficiency in performing statistical analysis on a computer.
• Ability to juggle competing priorities and changing expectations.
• Entrepreneurial spirit with the ability to create new and unique ideas.

Skills

• Microsoft Office Suite – Intermediate proficiency.

Schedule

• 75% of time spent on the farm with production, harvest teams, and crops.
• 15% on administrative, business, and planning functions.
• 5% on travel for interaction with other districts, conferences, etc.

Pay

$122,000 to $153,000