Vertical Farming Plant Scientist Full Time

Purpose of the Job:

The University of Essex in partnership with Vertical Future Ltd offers an exciting opportunity (Vertical Farming Plant Scientist) as to a graduate with the relevant skills and knowledge to undertake a transformational project by delivering a systematic survey of the interaction of light spectra with plant productivity.

This post is fixed term for 24 months and is based at Vertical Future Ltd’s offices in Creekside, Deptford.

Duties of the Post:

The main duties of the post will include:

• Create, conduct, run and monitor experiments and research trials on a range of species & light regimes at our advanced vertical farm R&D site
• Work closely with Senior members of the Plant R&D Team to select varieties for production based on consumer and producer relevant evidence
• Work alongside the Engineering and Software Tech Teams to integrate plant science with engineering
• Positively contribute towards improving growing practises on VF’s growing system
• Perform data analysis and interpret findings, prepare reports to support the companies scale up agenda, and share internally with senior management and where relevant, clients
• Produce results and collaborate with the software engineering team to build results into data packages to support Vertical Future’s software solution
• Support the Plant R&D Team with the operations of the farm & delivery of research, including other trials that may be taking place
• Ensure safe and sustainable company operations
• Maintain production facilities in a clean and hygienic state and keep a laboratory notebook
• Develop new environmental control protocols for VF research farm and clients
• Share information, insights, knowledge, and skills, and be open to feedback to develop and learn from company staff
• Support the Plant R&D Team to monitor emerging technologies, research and potential partners
• Participate in academic and/or industrial conferences and other events, to disseminate and present research outcomes to the wider community
• Build the IP and publications necessary to protect Vertical Future’s competitiveness, contribute to communications and regulatory engagement
• Work towards the publication of peer-reviewed articles in high impact Journals in collaboration with Vertical Future with academics at the University of Essex (support with grant writing and research publications)
• Act as lead on this collaborative research between University of Essex and Vertical

These duties are a guide to the work that the post holder will initially be required to undertake. They may be changed from time to time to meet changing circumstances.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

• BSc in Plant Sciences, Biochemistry, Biological Sciences, or similar degrees
• MSc in Agronomy, Plant Physiology, Plant Pathology, Plant Biotechnology or a similar field, or equivalent industry experience
• Experience in R&D in vertical farms or CEA
• Experience designing and running plant science experiments with multiple factors
• Extensive knowledge and experience in biochemical assays
• Extensive experience or knowledge of plant physiological techniques and protocols
• Experience carrying out empirical trials as part of a plant sciences discipline
• Experience analysing large data sets
• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to lead a complex project with competing deadlines and priorities
• Ability to present highly technical information to non-technical colleagues and customers

BENEFITS

As a KTP Associate, the post will offer the following benefits:

• A personal development budget of £4,000 (exclusive of salary).
• An additional research budget for consumables and travel required to deliver the KTP of over £7,000.
• Management training and mentoring by an Innovate UK KTP
• An interesting and challenging role, with exposure to a variety of
• Full access to university resources to complete the
• World-leading Academic and Company project supervision, with project support by a dedicated, sector leading KTP