About Agricola Moderna
Agricola Moderna is a Vertical Farming company which is growing food for a better future by revolutionising agriculture. In our modern farming company we control the entire process from seed to store. Our farms use zero pesticides, 95% less water, and are 100+ times more productive on the same footprint of land than traditional agriculture. Agricola Moderna has developed a recognized brand by developing products that are better for the customer and the environment. Today, the company is formed by a multi-disciplined team with a strong R&D focus, including plant scientists, growers, data scientists, and engineers.
Agricola Moderna currently operates a > 1 hectare, highly automated facility producing teen leaf salads sold to supermarkets and online grocery stores. Our phenotyping platform monitors variables driving plant growth 24/7, creating vast amounts of rich data and enabling data-driven continuous improvement towards an increasingly efficient growing model.
Agricola Moderna is Host Institution of SUSTAIN, a large, multi-year cutting-edge European project funded by the PNRR, developed in partnership with Politecnico di Milano and Università degli Studi di Milano, aimed at developing novel synthetic substrate-tray solutions to boost vegetable yield while reducing operating costs and environmental impact.
The Role
We are looking for an experienced R&D Project Engineer to join the Agricola Moderna Tech team and lead the implementation of the SUSTAIN project. The ideal candidate will bridge the gap between engineering, agronomy, and data science, supporting the project both technically and operationally.
What You'll Do
* Project Management: Lead the technical and managerial coordination of the SUSTAIN project, ensuring alignment with academic partners and funding requirements.
* Product Development: Collaborate with university partners in the design, 3D modeling, and development of innovative, recyclable synthetic substrates.
* Experimental Planning: Work alongside agronomists to plan and execute experiments involving leafy vegetables, fruit vegetables, and aromatic plants.
* Data Analysis Leadership: Lead the data analysis process for the project, developing mathematical and statistical models to interpret experimental results.
* Automation Integration: Manage collaborations with partner companies to develop ad-hoc automation solutions for the new substrate system.
* Continuous Improvement: Support the internal team in optimising current production processes through advanced data analysis and process engineering.
What You Have
* Education: Master's degree in Engineering or a related technical field. A curriculum including Agritech elements is preferred.
* Experience: 3+ years of experience in a multidisciplinary R&D or engineering role.
* Programming Skills: Proven experience in Python programming, specifically with scientific libraries (e.g., NumPy, Pandas, SciPy) for data analysis.
* Other Technical Skills: Proficiency in 3D design software (CAD/CAM) and experience in Computer Vision are preferential assets.
* Modeling: Ability to develop and apply mathematical and statistical models to complex biological or industrial systems.
* Mindset: Strong attitude for complex problem-solving and a proactive approach to multidisciplinary challenges.