Job Description

Job DetailsLevel: Senior

Job Location: Phillipsburg, NJ 08865

Position Type: Full Time

Salary Range: $130,000.00 - $140,000.00 Salary

Travel Percentage: None

Job Shift: Day

Job Category: Farm Research & DevelopmentWe grow the world’s BEST Strawberries & our Expert Growers are a major reason why!

As part of our Research & Development Team an Expert Grower at Oishii contributes to our exceptional product development, and plant health by working cross-functionally to ensure the success of short term and long-range goals in both production farms and R&D farms. Expert Growers serve as subject matter experts to our production teams monitoring & problem solving for plant health, diseases, pest, environmental stresses, quality and yield opportunities and often oversee projects or experiments in various farms to improve growing systems and to characterize plant responses in controlled environments.

The role is hands-on and strategic with a large portion of time spent in the farm with our plants.

What you’ll be responsible for

• Drive deployment initiatives as it relates to farm yield and quality KPI outcomes (Yield and Brix) across all farms, with target environmental conditions being met
• Develop feasible and sustainable improvement plans to execute, driving team alignment with strong individual ownership
• Facilitate cross-functional collaboration with Operations, Facilities, Maintenance, and Engineering to ensure that all stakeholder inputs are in place to achieve positive outcomes
• Own the health of all plants and environmental controls (including IPM and commissioning) across farms, making key decisions on solutions and corrective actions when necessary
• Accelerate R&D outcomes by reviewing data with team members on a weekly basis to determine next actions and provide additional direction as needed.
• Leads alignment and execution of improvement initiatives with Engineering, Operations, and Commercial teams
• Collaborates with R&D members to design and implement experiments aimed at improving yield and quality
• Manage and develop the manager-level growers, junior growers and R&D operators that report to you
• Accountable for team structure and scope, defining competency requirements, career planning for direct reports, and lead ongoing hiring initiatives
• Defines 2-year production deployment roadmap in alignment with overall company goals

Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift up to 30 lbs
• Ability to climb a ladder
• Ability to crouch or kneel
• Ability to reach and stretch
• Hand dexterity
• Comfortable in an active, non-sedentary role for lengths of up to 5 to 6 hours at time
• MUST NOT be allergic to bees

QualificationsWho will love this job: Individuals who identify with our Core Values and exhibit skills within those values will thrive at Oishii.

One Team, One Fight!

• Ability to quickly shift priorities to meet deadlines and effectively communicate, both verbally and in writing, clearly, concisely and with purpose.
• Outgoing and collaborative work style- Ability to work cross functionally at all levels and collaborate at various levels of the organization.

Focus

• Ability to remove obstacles in order to prioritize which could include problem solving, working through ambiguity and using fact based or sound judgment.
• Ability to work independently, with a high attention to detail, and ability to create structure & process where none may exist.

GSD (Get Sh** Done!)

• Capable of prioritizing tasks and always considering the resources available when doing so.
• A bias for action! Ability to hold yourself accountable and take ownership of driving results that impact company outcomes.

What we look for in an Expert Grower

• Bachelor’s degree in horticulture, plant biology, plant physiology, soil science, or a related degree or field professional experience
• 10+ years of experience as a strawberry grower in a greenhouse, vertical farm, and/or large-scale traditional farm
• 10+ years of experience in team and production farm management
• Proven experience managing large-scale cultivation operations — either in production or propagation — or scaling from R&D trials to commercial production
• Strong expertise of plant growth, environmental control, cultivation systems (e.g., UTR), and pest and disease management (IPM)
• An open-minded and adaptable leader who actively listens to diverse perspectives of team members and other cross-functional leaders to translate those perspectives into practical action
• A big-picture thinker who connects plant biology, environment condition, operations efficiency, and equipment performance to optimize the whole system
• Ability to independently identify on-site cultivation challenges, plan relevant experiments, collect and analyze data, and propose and implement actionable solutions
• Data-driven decision maker with a strong foundation in experimental design and results interpretation
• Demonstrated ability to work hands-on in a fast-paced, R&D startup environment

Perks at Oishii

• Competitive salary, bonus, & equity packages
• Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance
• 100% Employer Paid Life Insurance + Long Term Disability Insurance
• EAP Access
• Pet Insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Plan (Roth & Traditional)
• Paid Parental leave
• Office social events including happy hours, parties, and community service projects
• Employee activity groups for basketball players, Yoga Enthusiasts, runners…

About Oishii

Oishii (which means “delicious” in Japanese) is the innovative company behind the world’s largest indoor vertical strawberry farm. On a mission to transform the agriculture industry through the power of smart farming, Oishii harmoniously marries nature with state-of-the-art technology to create the ideal elements—rain, air, heat, light, nourishment and natural bee pollination—for growing in-season produce all year round. Oishii’s beloved Omakase, Koyo and Nikko Berries are grown in pesticide-free vertical farms in the U.S. and proudly bear the Non-GMO Project Verified seal. Founded in 2016, Oishii’s investors include SPARX Group, NTT, Yaskawa, McWin Capital Partners and Resilience Reserve. Oishii was recognized as one of Fast Company’s “World’s Most Innovative Companies” in 2022.

Today, Oishii operates farms and research facilities across the United States and Japan, bringing together expertise from both countries to advance the future of agriculture. As a Japanese-founded company with global ambitions, we are building a world-class team dedicated to transforming how premium produce is grown and delivered. For more information, visit www.oishii.com.