Horticulture & CEA Scientist

Company Summary:

Terrana Biosciences is one of the latest companies founded through Flagship Pioneering’s venture creation engine, where companies such as Moderna Inc. and Invaio Sciences were conceived and created. Since Flagship’s founding in 2000, the firm has originated and fostered the development of nearly 100 scientific ventures resulting in $19+ billion in aggregate value, 500+ issued patents, and more than 50 clinical trials for novel therapeutic agents. Terrana Biosciences is integrating the latest developments in molecular biology and plant biology to create a new platform technology that enables adaptive, targeted and sustainable solutions in agriculture.

Position Summary:

We are seeking a highly motivated, proactive, and detail-oriented individual to join our team. This role will support our research efforts by performing plant trial designs, plant propagation, plant care, and sample tracking in multi-site-controlled environment (CEA) operations, including growth cabinets, growth chambers, and greenhouses. The successful candidate will be highly organized, comfortable working in a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment, and an integral part of a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary team. Excellent communication, record-keeping, and teamwork will be critical.

Key responsibilities include:

• Developing and maintaining plant care protocols and standards across multiple sites, ensuring continuous monitoring and evaluation of plant health
• Managing plant production operations including sowing, transplanting, harvest, and sanitization
• Monitoring plant health and growth conditions. Set and execute fertilization, lighting, and climate strategies to ensure optimal productivity
• Tracking planting requests and overall plant inventory and capacity
• Overseeing and executing integrated pest management program
• Facilitating communication with site teams to identify and address plant care needs for research projects
• Overseeing maintenance and repair of growing systems
• Serving as a role model for a strong CEA safety culture
• Designing and implementing internal growth trials to assess R&D plant treatments and CEA continuous improvement projects
• Analyzing trial data to generate insights and provide actionable recommendations
• Helping to manage growth trials with external collaborators by ensuring trials are designed in alignment with organizational objectives, supervising the progress of active field or CEA trials, and reporting on outcomes

Required skills and qualifications:

• BS in Controlled Environment Agriculture, Horticulture, Agronomy, Ag Tech Management, Biosystems Engineering, or a related discipline, advanced degree preferred
• A minimum of 5 years of professional experience in CEA plant care.  Advanced degree may count toward years of experience
• Demonstrated ability to analyze and interpret data to inform plant care and research strategies
• Experience designing, executing, analyzing growing trials
• Experience operating climate management software (e.g., Priva, Hoogendoorn, Argus, Ridder, etc.) in R&D or production settings
• Experience managing daily work for a small team of technicians
• Adaptive and quick learner, efficient in multi-tasking and troubleshooting
• Demonstrated ability to operate as a results oriented self-starter with a strong attention to detail