Soft Fruit Agronomist

Dyson Farming is a family-owned business, with a vision to benefit future generations through a commitment to commercially viable and environmentally sustainable food production  strive to be industry leaders in efficient, carbon-neutral, high-technology agriculture, employing highly skilled, pioneering people and supported by research and development in an ever-closer partnership with our sister company, Dyson. We see the future of agriculture as an exciting opportunity to improve the nation’s food security, health, and economic growth.

Dyson Farming is committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone is treated fairly and with respect. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified individuals regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation.

The Soft Fruit Agronomist will be responsible for providing high-quality, commercially focused agronomic advice across Dyson Farming’s expanding strawberry enterprise.

Working within the existing Agronomy team, the role will take responsibility for crop protection strategy, crop input recommendations, agronomic monitoring and the procurement and management of crop inputs across approximately 23.7 hectares of protected strawberry production.

You will work closely with the Head Grower, General Manager and Operations Manager to support the delivery of high-yielding, high-quality crops while maintaining a strong focus on integrated pest management, environmental stewardship, regulatory compliance and cost control.

A key objective of the role will be to develop internal agronomic capability within the soft fruit business, progressively reducing reliance on external agronomy while maintaining access to specialist expertise where this adds value.

• Provide agronomic support across strawberry crops grown in glasshouse, plastic greenhouse and tunnel production systems.
• Undertake regular crop walks and monitoring to identify pest, disease, nutritional and crop health issues.
• Develop and maintain technically robust crop protection programmes throughout the production cycle.
• Provide timely crop protection recommendations in line with current legislation, product approvals, resistance-management guidance and Dyson Farming policies.
• Work closely with the Head Grower to integrate agronomic recommendations with irrigation, nutrition, climate management, crop husbandry and production objectives.
• Develop and promote Integrated Pest Management (IPM), including biological and cultural controls, crop monitoring and appropriate use of conventional crop protection products.
• Evaluate new crop protection products, biological solutions, technologies and agronomic techniques to improve crop performance, quality, sustainability and production efficiency.
• Review crop performance and agronomic outcomes to continually improve future growing programmes.

• Take responsibility for crop protection recommendations across the soft fruit operation.
• Manage the purchasing of crop protection products and agreed agronomic inputs, working with the business buying group.
• Ensure inputs are sourced competitively and efficiently, in line with Dyson Farming procurement procedures.
• Monitor product use, stock levels and expenditure throughout the season.
• Maintain accurate records of recommendations, applications and crop protection inventories.
• Ensure all purchasing and use of crop protection products complies with relevant legislation and assurance requirements.

• Build the annual crop input budget with the Head Grower.
• Forecast crop protection and other agronomic input requirements.
• Monitor expenditure against budget throughout the…