Sr Research Agricultural Engineer

Florida⠀Crystals⠀is a⠀leading⠀domestic⠀sugar⠀producer⠀and North⠀America’s⠀first⠀fully⠀integrated⠀cane sugar⠀company,⠀guiding⠀our sugar⠀from farm⠀to table.⠀We are⠀America’s⠀first and⠀only⠀producer⠀of⠀certified⠀organic⠀sugar,⠀grown and⠀harvested⠀in the⠀United⠀States.⠀Our⠀renewable⠀energy⠀facility⠀is the⠀largest of⠀its kind⠀in North⠀America⠀and⠀provides⠀clean⠀energy⠀that⠀powers our⠀sugar⠀operations,⠀which⠀helps us⠀reduce our⠀use of⠀fossil⠀fuels.⠀Florida⠀Crystals⠀also⠀sustainably⠀farms⠀rice,⠀sweet corn⠀and other⠀vegetables⠀in⠀rotation⠀with our⠀sugarcane.⠀Our rice⠀mill is⠀the only⠀rice mill⠀in⠀Florida.

OVERVIEW

Reporting⠀to the⠀Vice-President⠀of⠀Research &⠀Development,⠀the Sr.⠀Research⠀Agricultural⠀Engineer⠀will be⠀responsible⠀for⠀applying⠀knowledge⠀of⠀agricultural⠀engineering⠀and⠀precision⠀agriculture⠀to⠀implement⠀innovative⠀ways to⠀design,⠀develop,⠀and test⠀farm⠀machinery,⠀equipment,⠀and⠀technology⠀to improve⠀farming⠀and⠀harvesting⠀efficiency.⠀The⠀research⠀will focus⠀on⠀improving⠀productivity,⠀efficiency,⠀and⠀sustainability⠀of our⠀agricultural⠀and⠀harvesting⠀operations.⠀This⠀person⠀will also⠀support⠀research,⠀design and⠀execution⠀of trials⠀related to⠀equipment⠀manufacturers⠀based on⠀commercial⠀needs, as⠀well as⠀analyze⠀research⠀results⠀and make⠀recommendations⠀for⠀operations⠀accordingly.

DETAILED ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the⠀research⠀program to⠀innovate⠀farm⠀machinery,⠀equipment,⠀and⠀technology⠀to⠀increase⠀productivity,⠀optimize⠀costs and⠀drive⠀sustainability⠀in our⠀operations.
• Evaluate,⠀analyze,⠀and⠀propose⠀new⠀research⠀projects⠀in the⠀areas of⠀agricultural⠀equipment⠀and⠀precision⠀agriculture.
• Work⠀closely⠀with⠀machinery/equipment/technology⠀manufacturers⠀to design,⠀develop⠀and test⠀solutions/innovations⠀for our⠀commercial⠀operations.
• Define⠀and⠀specify⠀machinery/equipment⠀functional⠀requirements⠀during⠀development/testing⠀phase.⠀Evaluate⠀the⠀effectiveness⠀of the⠀design,⠀cost,⠀reliability,⠀safety and⠀propose⠀changes if⠀necessary.
• Design⠀research/test⠀protocols,⠀execute⠀field⠀testing,⠀and⠀oversee⠀ongoing⠀and new⠀research⠀based on⠀operation⠀needs.
• Support⠀on⠀elaborating⠀project⠀proposals,⠀budgets,⠀and⠀resource⠀needs.
• Develop⠀standard⠀operating⠀procedures⠀(SOP) for⠀research/testing/operations/safety⠀protocols⠀for all⠀machinery⠀and⠀equipment.
• Be⠀responsible⠀for⠀planning⠀and⠀execution⠀of⠀research⠀and⠀equipment⠀testing.⠀This will⠀include⠀coordinating⠀work⠀between⠀technicians,⠀farm/harvesting⠀personnel,⠀outside⠀collaborators,⠀and⠀machinery/equipment⠀manufacturers.
• Collect,⠀organize,⠀and⠀summarize⠀test data⠀electronically⠀for⠀efficient⠀retrieval,⠀statistical⠀analysis,⠀and⠀reporting.
• Prepare⠀quality⠀reports,⠀make⠀farmer⠀level⠀publications,⠀and public⠀oral⠀presentations.
• Maintain⠀communication⠀with all⠀internal⠀departments⠀and⠀outside⠀collaborators.
• Provide⠀technical⠀support,⠀training⠀and⠀problem⠀solving to⠀agricultural⠀and⠀harvesting⠀operations.
• Comply⠀with and⠀enforce⠀Florida⠀Crystals⠀Corporation’s⠀Environmental,⠀Health,⠀Safety and⠀Quality⠀Policy⠀(EHSQ),⠀must⠀understand,⠀and adhere⠀to all⠀policies⠀and⠀procedures.
• The⠀job⠀requires⠀many hours⠀working⠀outdoors⠀in the⠀South⠀Florida⠀environment⠀and will⠀involve⠀physical⠀labor. The⠀candidate⠀must be⠀prepared⠀to work in⠀these⠀varied⠀environmental⠀conditions⠀and be⠀aware of⠀necessary⠀safety and⠀health⠀precautions.

WORK EXPERIENCES

• Minimum of⠀3-5 years⠀of⠀experience⠀as a⠀Research⠀Agricultural⠀Engineer
• Working⠀experience⠀with⠀sugarcane⠀is a plus.

ESSENTIAL CAPABILITIES (KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES)

• Agricultural Skills  – Solid⠀working⠀knowledge⠀of⠀agricultural⠀and⠀harvesting⠀practices.
• Engineering⠀Skills –⠀Ability to⠀use⠀engineering⠀skills to⠀complete⠀tasks like⠀testing or⠀improving⠀machinery,⠀developing⠀new⠀technology⠀and⠀planning⠀agricultural⠀systems.
• Design⠀Skills –⠀Require⠀design⠀skills and⠀knowledge⠀to test⠀and⠀support⠀work with⠀agricultural⠀equipment,⠀systems,⠀and⠀infrastructure.
• Research -Demonstrate⠀research⠀experience⠀through⠀education,⠀employment,⠀or⠀personal⠀experiences⠀on⠀agricultural⠀research,⠀agricultural⠀engineering,⠀precision⠀agriculture,⠀agricultural⠀equipment/machinery,⠀and other⠀hands-on⠀experiences.
• Data⠀Analysis⠀–⠀Data-driven,⠀problem⠀solver,⠀intense⠀curiosity,⠀and desire⠀to go⠀beneath⠀the⠀surface of⠀the⠀analysis.⠀Proficiency⠀in⠀statistical⠀analysis,⠀data⠀mining,⠀data⠀reporting,⠀relational⠀databases,⠀and⠀ability in⠀visualizing⠀and⠀communicating⠀research⠀results to⠀support⠀data-driven⠀decisions.
• Analytical⠀Skills –⠀Ability to⠀analyze⠀information,⠀identify⠀underlying⠀principles,⠀reasons or⠀facts of⠀information⠀and make⠀deductions⠀based on⠀information.⠀Ability to⠀track and⠀report⠀data, as⠀needed.⠀Ability⠀for⠀associative⠀thinking,⠀curiosity,⠀and⠀creativity.
• Teamwork⠀– Create⠀a climate⠀that⠀fosters⠀commitment⠀to a⠀common⠀vision and⠀shared⠀values⠀that⠀promote⠀cooperation⠀and⠀working⠀together⠀through⠀trust and⠀support of⠀others.⠀Maintain⠀effective⠀working⠀relationships⠀with team⠀members,⠀management,⠀and⠀outside⠀collaborators.
• Organization⠀– Strong⠀organizational⠀skills,⠀attention⠀to detail⠀and⠀ability to⠀multi-task⠀and⠀deliver on⠀accountabilities⠀to resolve⠀any⠀outstanding⠀issues.
• Computer⠀Proficiency⠀–⠀Proficiency⠀in⠀Microsoft⠀Office⠀suite⠀(Word,⠀Excel,⠀Power⠀Point,⠀Outlook,⠀Power Bi),⠀statistical⠀analysis,⠀GIS and⠀mapping,⠀precision⠀agriculture⠀tools.
• Communication⠀–⠀Excellent⠀written⠀and verbal⠀communication⠀skills,⠀appropriately⠀communicates⠀at all⠀levels of⠀the⠀organization.
• Flexibility⠀– Adapt⠀to change⠀and⠀different⠀ways of⠀doing⠀things⠀quickly⠀and⠀positively,⠀does not⠀shy away⠀from⠀addressing⠀setbacks⠀or⠀ambiguity,⠀deals⠀effectively⠀with a⠀variety of⠀people and⠀situations,⠀appropriately⠀adapts⠀one’s⠀thinking⠀or⠀approach⠀as the⠀situation⠀changes.
• Initiative⠀– Job⠀requires a⠀willingness⠀to take on⠀responsibilities⠀and⠀challenges⠀with a⠀sense of⠀urgency.
• Ethics⠀&⠀Integrity⠀– High⠀degree of⠀personal⠀integrity⠀in all⠀business⠀dealings.
• Persistence⠀– Job⠀requires⠀persistence⠀in the⠀face of⠀obstacles⠀and being⠀able to⠀work under⠀pressure.
• Customer⠀Service⠀–⠀Knowledge⠀of⠀principles⠀and⠀processes⠀for⠀providing⠀customer⠀services.⠀This⠀includes⠀customer⠀needs⠀assessment,⠀meeting⠀quality⠀standards⠀for⠀services,⠀and⠀evaluation⠀of⠀customer⠀satisfaction.

EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS

• MS or PhD degree in Agricultural Engineering or a related field