Field Technology Development & Agronomy Lead San Francisco, CA
1 Days Old
Field Technology Development & Agronomy Lead Position Title: Field Technology Development & AgronomyLead
Location: San Francisco, CA with frequent travel (~30%)
Type: Full-time
Ohalo is hiring a Field Technology Development & Agronomy Lead to lead the end-to-end field system development for planting true potato seed at commercial scale. This role bridges seed technology, agronomy, farmer support and digital data capture.
You will lead development of all farmer-facing technical protocols, field support systems, and data capture pipelines — and will serve as point of contact for our early adopter farmers during planting, growing, harvest, and feedback.
Responsibilities:
Seed Pelletization and Seed Treatment Technology Development Improve the true potato seeding system by enabling automated planting, fast successful germination, and optimal yield outcomes through seed pelletization and treatment of our Boosted potato hybrid true seed.
Design, test, and optimize seed pelletization parameters of true potato seed production, including size, weight, shape, and material mix.
Test and optimize seed treatment parameters of true potato seed, including germination acceleration, fertilization support, crop protection, and other generally available and/or proprietary seed treatments.
Agronomic System Development Design, test, and optimize the seeding system for our true seed systems:
Planter calibration and singulation
Seed placement and field uniformity
Seed treatment compatibility and seed handling
Lead the development of field-ready agronomic protocols for direct seeding of potatoes, strawberries, and future crops, including:
Seedbed preparation, soil moisture management, and seeding depth/spacing
Early-stage crop establishment, vigor tracking, and emergence scoring
Fertility timing and nutrient use optimization
Irrigation planning based on growth stage
Weed, pest, and disease control strategies aligned to seedling biology
Planting and harvest workflows and yield sampling
Build crop- and region-specific protocols that reflect the variability of production zones.
Design and execute field trials and strip tests to compare hybrid performance based on different regions and methods and to drive protocol refinement.
Knowledge Sharing & Grower Translation Develop clear, grower-facing guides and recommendations — grounded in agronomic data and adapted to field conditions.
Oversee development of training tools, field checklists, and in-season agronomy support materials .
Partner with the Commercial Team to ensure early adopters are equipped to succeed.
In order to make an application, simply read through the following job description and make sure to attach relevant documents.
Field Data Collection & Post-Season Learning Partner with Engineering team to deploy and utilize tools for field data capture :
Mobile surveys, emergence logs, performance scoring, and harvest sheets
Remote monitoring tools
Drive structured in-season and post-season analysis of field performance across pilot sites.
Conduct grower interviews and translate field observations into next-season protocol upgrades.
Cross-functional Integration Collaborate closely with:
Breeding : To provide field feedback for selection under real-world seeding systems
Seed Production : To align agronomic systems with upstream seed quality
Field Trial Management : To ensure timely execution of defined protocols for field testing as part of Tech Dev programs
Commercial : To shape customer experience and system rollout readiness
Regulatory : To inform region-specific compliance and crop registration planning
Qualifications:
5+ years in agronomic technology development, seed-based R&D, and/or agronomic field testing.
Strong experimental design and execution capabilities.
Strong grounding in seed-to-soil interaction, early vigor, and plant emergence.
Experience designing and running field trials , optimizing seeding systems, and evaluating crop establishment under variable conditions.
Comfortable building protocols from scratch in fast-moving, ambiguous environments .
Exceptional organizational skills, competent at management of multiple grower accounts, data flows, and internal reporting, without delays or errors.
Startup mindset — willing to build systems from scratch and iterate fast
Familiarity with digital data capture tools a plus
Effective communicator across farmer, scientist, and commercial audiences.
Expertise in direct-seeded vegetable or specialty crops — potatoes, leafy greens, carrots, onions, or strawberries a strong plus.
Familiarity with planter systems, seed pelleting, ag data capture tools, and crop modeling a plus
The anticipated pay range that we reasonably expect to pay for this role is $120,000 - $150,000 for San Francisco, CA. Individual compensation is based on various factors including experience, education, skillset, and other relevant qualifications.
A bout Ohalo Genetics:
Ohalo aims to accelerate evolution to unlock nature's potential. Founded in 2019, Ohalo develops novel breeding systems and improved plant varieties that help farmers grow more food with fewer natural resources, increasing the yield, resiliency, and genetic diversity of crops to sustainably feed our population. Ohalo's breakthrough technology, Boosted Breeding, will usher in a new era of improved productivity to radically transform global agriculture. For more information, visitwww.ohalo.com .
Notes: If you previously applied for a job at Ohalo Genetics, we encourage you to restate your interest in the position by submitting your application.
No visa sponsorship is available for this position at this time.
No recruiters, please.
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- Location:
- San Francisco, CA
- Salary:
- $125
- Job Type:
- FullTime
- Category:
- Management And Consultancy