Lead​/Senior Agronomist | AI-driven Crop & FarmOps optimization R&D Researcher

Job Title:

Lead/Senior Agronomist | AI-driven Crop & Farm Ops optimization R&D Researcher

Location:

Gurugram
Department:  Agronomy, R&D & Farm Ops

Reports To:

Founder & CEO | Chief Agronomist

Start Date:

Immediate

About US  INNOFarms.

AI is a global AI SaaS and Robotics company dedicated to transforming Agri Food enterprises and enabling climate-resilient future food systems. Leveraging advanced AI, Robotics, and IoT technologies, the company builds intelligent digital operational frameworks aimed at making agriculture smarter, efficient, and more profitable

What You’ll Lead  
· Data-Driven Agronomy Practices:  Define and implement AI-augmented crop planning, growing  SOPs , and  yield optimization protocols  for leafy greens, herbs, and climate-resilient crops.

· Technology Integration:  Collaborate with AI, IoT, and product teams to map  agronomy intelligence into the platform —feeding real-time recommendations, health insights, and anomaly detection.

· Crop Trials & Validation:  Run scientific crop trials and experiments at our India & UAE model farms to validate new crops, lighting recipes, and nutrient formulations.

· SOP Development & Training:  Create and refine growing SOPs for different crops and environments (vertical farms, modular pods, polyhouses).

·

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

Work closely with AI, robotics, and BD teams to support product innovation and pilot deployment across regions.

· Knowledge to Insights:  Leverage sensor data, climate data, and growth KPIs to provide insights that reduce costs, improve yield, and enhance flavor/nutrition.

Strategic OKRs You Will Drive  
· Execute model farm growing cycles with 95%+ crop success rate.

· Support the development of a crop intelligence database for the top 20 high-margin crops across geographies.

· Train and mentor internal agronomy and farm ops teams across geographies.

· Collaborate with the AI/ML, IoT team on anomaly detection, health alerts, and smart recommendations.

Who You Are  
· MSc/PhD in Agronomy, Plant Science, or Agri. Engineering  with 3–4 years of hands-on experience in hydroponics, aeroponics, or protected cultivation.

· Proven leadership in  R&D-driven smart farming/Indoor vertical or CEA projects ; minimum 1-2 years in commercial cultivation and lead R&D operations for indoor vertical.

· Experience in setting up  multi-rack vertical farms, IoT automation, R&D, fertigation strategies , nutrient recipes, lighting optimization, and environmental control.

· Strong exposure to  data-centric farming, AI collaboration , and digital dashboards for crop monitoring.

· Comfortable working in  fast-paced, high-growth startup environments , solving problems from scratch.

· Passion for sustainability, food innovation, and climate tech.
Bonus If You Have  
· Worked with startups, AI R&D labs, or AI/IoT-integrated farm platforms.

· Published research in indoor/CEA/ farming or smart agriculture.

What We Offer  
· Opportunity to define a global blueprint for true intelligent farming.

· Cross-border exposure: UAE, India, and expansion to SEA, and Beyond.

· Dynamic team of engineers, AI scientists, product designers, and growth leaders.

· Work on tech that truly matters — food, climate, and the future of farming.