Job description

Why you should join us:
At Sound Agriculture, we believe our food system can nourish consumers while benefiting farming communities and the planet. Through a deeper understanding of plant and microbial biology, we are leveraging the natural power of plants to make agriculture more agile and resilient. Our work focuses on developing nutrient efficiency products and modernizing plant breeding to improve the way we farm and the food we eat.
Sound is a Series D startup funded by leading investors in food and agriculture including Leaps by Bayer, Syngenta Group Ventures, S2G Ventures, BMO Impact Investment Fund, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Fall Line Capital, Cavallo Ventures, FootPrint Coalition and Northpond Ventures.
What you'll do:

We are hiring a Field Development Associate to join our Field Development Program and provide support to the Director of Field Development (FD) and the FD team in our crop-based research. The FD Program has the critical responsibility of supporting the Research, Agronomy, Sales/Marketing and Business Development departments with data and information required for the advancement and positioning of agricultural product and germplasm candidates toward commercialization. Fundamental to the Associate role will be supporting FD with the management of the contract research and seed partners and an extensive small plot and on-farm field trial program.
This role reports to the Director of Field Development and can be based remotely across the United States. Travel expectations are extensive during the field trial season to effectively manage the network of contract research organizations (CRO), averaging 40, 50, 60% annually. Preference is for candidates to reside in the Northeast or Southeast US.
Compensation Target
$75,000 to 78,000 base salary
10% bonus target
Bonuses are earned based on annual company and individual performance and are prorated based on start date.
Sound reserves the ability to adjust the compensation range based on the final candidate's experience, skillset, and geography. In addition to on target earnings, we offer above average equity grants for the industry as we believe that every employee should have a stake in the company's growth. If you're above this compensation target, we encourage you to reach out and discuss the entire package and opportunity before deciding not to pursue this position.
Responsibilities

• Support the Director of FD by:

1) managing, analyzing, and/or reporting field data from agricultural product and germplasm trials designed to achieve company-wide goals
2) contributing to a comprehensive data management strategy for on-farm field trial programs
3) managing relationships with CROs, university researchers, and other field trial partners involved as defined by the annual FD Program

• Support the planning, coordination, and execution of small plot and on-farm field trials, including the identification of contract research partners and trial locations; trial planting, maintenance, data collection, and harvest
• Develop and maintain close working relationships and communication with CROs and university researchers, as well as tracking service bids, contracts, invoices and payments
• Coordinate and supervise the execution of small plot and on-farm field trial protocols (via digital tools and in-person by traveling up to 75% of the time during the busy part of the year) to field locations to monitor compliance with protocols, to ensure the timeliness and precision of treatment applications and the accuracy and of data collection
• Manage and/or participate in the quality checking, storage and/or analysis of agricultural product data
• Develop and maintain close working relationships and communication with CRO and university researchers, as well as tracking service bids, contracts, invoices and payments
• Prepare reports and presentations that summarize the analysis, conclusions, and interpretation of field trial results
• Conduct and/or coordinate field activities for seed production, seedling establishment, phenotypic measurements, and fruit collection in support of the on-demand breeding program
• Support other FD related activities, such as, but not limited to, field days, trade shows, training sessions, and data entry.

Targeted Skills & Experience

• Demonstrated success managing crops in small plot and on-farm field trials for data collection and seed production.
• Demonstrated on-farm knowledge of agricultural and seed production practices associated with major agronomic and horticultural crops and of the use and application of agricultural chemical products including fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, chemical and microbial biostimulants, etc.
• Proficiency with software for protocol development and trial design, data collection, management and analysis.
• Ideal candidates will have completed educational coursework in Agriculture, Plant Sciences, Agronomy, Horticulture, Data/Computer Science, or related fields, or have equivalent work experience

This role demonstrates our core values by:

• Boldness: Challenges conventional ways of conducting field research, seed production, and crop production to identify faster, more efficient, and more outcome-focused approaches. Challenges growers and researchers to adopt new approaches where appropriate.
• Ownership: Takes full responsibility for assigned areas of the FD program and ensures planning, execution, and follow up to ensure both scientific rigor and commercial meaning in results.
• Respect: Drives knowledge of field development and seed and produce production into Sound while respecting the work that the team has done to get us to this place.
• Creativity: Identifies new ways to work with growers and contract researchers that are nimble, fast, and digital-first.#LI-REMOTE

What we offer:

• Opportunity to work in a disruptive startup with a talented, experienced, and growing team of dedicated individuals
• Competitive total rewards package, including equity
• Performance bonus structure or uncapped commission plan for sales positions
• Comprehensive health care plans that include Medical, Dental and Vision coverage
• Flex Spending Account (Healthcare, Dependent Care & Commuter Benefit)
• 401(k) with company match
• Generous flexible paid time off
• Paid parental leave
• Mental health and wellbeing benefits
• In-person and virtual events and engagement activities (we actually like hanging out with each other!) (e.g. First Fridays, Meditation, Potlucks, Cultural Events, Running and Climbing groups, Photo Contests, weekly Team lunch, etc.)

Sound Agriculture does not accept unsolicited resumes from individual recruiters or third party recruiting agencies responding to job postings. We will not respond to unsolicited requests to submit candidates.

Equal Employment Opportunity
We seek a diverse pool of applicants and consider all qualified candidates regardless of race, ancestry, color, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, national origin, citizenship, disability, Veteran status, marital status, or any other protected status.
Sound participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the United States. If E-Verify cannot confirm that you are authorized to work, Sound is required to give you written instructions and an opportunity to contact the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) or Social Security Administration (SSA) so you can begin to resolve the issue before Sound takes any action, including terminating your employment.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $75,000.00 - $78,000.00 per year

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