AGRICULTURIST

Essential Functions:

 Internal and External Communication

• Articulates the rationale, role, innovation, impact and results of research to a variety of audiences including growers and employees
• Coaches growers in improving sugar beet quality focusing on sugar beet production including contracting acres, aiding in the selection of varieties, issuing seed, scouting fields, recommending pesticides, monitoring fertility and observing harvest activities

Field Observations

• Scouts and monitors fields contracted in their territory for various pest and other agronomic issues
• Organizes a variety strip trial with growers, verifies samples are taken for quality analysis, and communicates results to the grower and other internal and external customers
• Monitors the condition of designated storage piles and provides a weekly report to the Agricultural Superintendent
• Performs necessary environmental inspections and submits environmental reports as required

Employee Management

• Collaborates with internal and external parties to hire and train receiving station personnel
• Provides leadership and mentoring to personnel regarding best practices with safety and environmental standards
• Monitors employee progress to ensure harvested sugar beets are acceptable for long-term storage, reduce receiving station interruptions and maximize efficiency

 Core Competencies and Skill Requirements:

 Broad understanding of agronomy

• • Ability to evaluate information to determine best practices using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether new techniques or findings apply to sugar beet production, harvest and/or storage
  • Ability to keep up-to-date with new agronomic techniques and publications and applying the new knowledge to benefit SMBSC
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Ability to develop constructive and cooperative working relationships with internal and external audiences and maintain these relationships over time to advance the overall public image of SMBSC
  • Ability to influence growers to accept newly advanced agricultural methods and techniques by communicating experimental results
  • Ability to communicate with a variety of audiences with diverse backgrounds

Required Education and Experience:

 Bachelor degree in agronomy, agricultural science, plant science or related field preferred but not required if background is sufficient