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Full job description
About the Opportunity
The Nursery Pest & Disease Prevention & Management Scientist is a research focused role responsible for advancing scientific understanding and developing innovative strategies to prevent, detect, and manage pests and diseases impacting nursery and early stage plant materials. This position leads research, experimentation, innovation development, data analysis, and cross-functional collaborations with breeding, nursery, plant health and clean stock teams.
The role contributes directly to global plant health innovation by designing research trials, validating diagnostic tools, developing IPM research protocols, and generating evidence based recommendations for implementation by nursery and breeding teams.
**This role can be located in Watsonville, CA, Netherlands or United Kingdom**
Responsibilities
- Lead and design scientific studies focused on pest and disease biology, epidemiology, and management within nursery and breeding systems.
- Develop new or improved Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies with emphasis on biologicals, cultural controls, novel chemistries, environmental manipulation, and predictive modeling.
- Evaluate emerging technologies (sensory tools, imaging systems, environmental controls, water treatments, biologicals, etc.) for use in nursery production.
- Conduct risk assessments for high-impact pests and pathogens; propose mitigation strategies based on experimental findings.
- Development of spray programs to optimize effectiveness and reduce the likelihood of resistance.
- Partner with operations teams to translate research outcomes into practical recommendations, SOPs, and best practices.
- Develop detection and monitoring capabilities and early-warning systems for nursery systems.
- Lead the strategic use of AI for discovering, developing and deploying new Nursery Plant Health and Clean Stock technologies.
Candidate Profile
- Minimum of a M.S. with 5+ years’ of experience or a PhD with 3 years’ experience, with degree in plant pathology, entomology, horticulture, crop science or other relevant field of study.
- Experience in crop science, plant biology and/or plant pathology is required.
- Ability to collaborate with nursery, pathology, entomology, molecular diagnostics, and clean-stock teams globally to develop detection and monitoring capabilities and early-warning systems.
- Knowledge of plant pathology, entomology, plants and their cultivation in greenhouse and field.
- Ability to lead and design scientific trials in greenhouses and fields focused on pest and disease biology, epidemiology, prevention and management with an emphasis on biologicals, cultural controls, novel chemistries, environmental manipulation, and predictive modeling.
- Extensive experience with using statistical tools to analyze complex plant health datasets and derive actionable insights.
- Prepare technical reports, presentations, and scientific summaries to support global decision-making.
- Ability to work independently to carry work forward is required but balanced with need to be highly collaborative with others.
- Experience in the development of emerging technologies (sensory tools, imaging systems, environmental controls, water treatments, biologicals, etc.) for use in nursery production.
- Ability to conduct accurate risk assessments for high-impact pests and pathogens; propose mitigation strategies based on known information and experimental findings.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills required.
- High organizational skills, attention to detail and ability to manage data.
- California driver’s license and the ability to be covered under company-sponsored vehicle insurance program are also required.
- Hold valid passport. Domestic or international travel up to 25%.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working with berry crops in agricultural settings.
- Experience working in nursery production.
**This role can be located in Watsonville, CA, Netherlands or United Kingdom**
Compensation and Benefits
The following information is provided in good faith as a general description of the salary range and benefits for the position posted. The actual compensation offered to the successful candidate is dependent upon experience, skills, education, work location, internal pay equity, and other objective job-related factors.
Salary Range estimated for the Global Nursery Pest and Disease Prevention and Management Scientist role in the United States: $116,550.00/year to $151,520.00/year. Salary in other countries varies and is commensurate with cost of living and industry standards for that geographic location.
Driscoll’s is committed to a culture of care and offers an attractive benefits package that includes comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance, and disability coverage for positions working more than 30 hours per week. Other benefits include: 401(k) with employer match, profit-sharing participation, paid sick time, paid vacation, paid personal and family care leave, and a free Employee Assistance Program (EAP). More detailed information regarding the benefits package, will be shared during the application process.
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