Field Plant Pathologist

About Us

At InnerPlant (www.innerplant.com) we are reimagining the role of crops in our farming system and developing crops that can tell us what they need by turning plants into Living Sensors. Our Smart Seeds signal early and specific stressors in a scalable and affordable way to reduce chemical and fertilizer use while increasing yields, delivering more with less.

We’re backed by industry giant John Deere and other veteran venture capitalists and are poised to improve agriculture.  InnerPlant is a place for people that believe they can make a difference and want to improve how decisions are made on the farm.  If you share these traits and want to make a real difference - this is the opportunity for you.

Position Summary

We are seeking a Field Plant Pathologist to play a key leadership role in the development and scale up of our system.  The initial focus will be on refining our soybean fungal sensors in cooperation with academic and contract researchers, followed by expansion of the platform to other top priority crops.  The right candidate thrives in a dynamic start-up atmosphere and takes initiative to move projects forward. Excellent written and verbal communication skills are also essential as this role is part of a collaborative interdisciplinary team.  The selected candidate will work remotely, however a central Midwest location such as Iowa or Illinois will be most convenient for in person visits to field research locations and in person interactions with industry stakeholders.   The selected candidate must be legally authorized to work in the United States.

Key responsibilities

• Utilize plant pathology expertise to design and execute experiments and technology demonstrations for the major soybean pathogens across the Midwestern US
• Establish and maintain strong working relationships with plant pathology academics, contract research organizations, retailer organizations and industry stakeholders
• Serve as plant pathology subject matter expert and thought leader for both internal and external discussions
• Compose and deliver presentations and publications that clearly communicate complex results to both internal and external audiences
• Collaborate closely with the sales team to support ag retailers and growers by delivering agronomic insights, ensuring seamless product adoption, and driving customer success
• Work closely with internal R&D teams to provide input for new product and system concepts
• Oversee field detection and remote sensing processes including UAV flights to ensure accuracy and reliability of data collected from our plots.  
• Troubleshooting and basic maintenance of remote-sensing equipment.
• Analyze experimental data and generate reports to inform decision making and to drive continuous improvement
• Provide data and images from our plots to support the development of marketing materials 
• Effectively steward a financial budget and all contracts related to the field research program 
• Keep current with scientific and industrial advances relevant to plant pathology
• Ensure all operations comply with all regulations and safety standards
• Support third party business development partnerships
• Travel up to 50% of the time during the field season

Requirements

• M.S. in plant pathology or closely related field (Ph.D. preferred)
• Extensive knowledge and experience with soybean plant-pathogen interactions and symptomologies
• Strong working knowledge of agronomic practices for corn and soybean production including a deep understanding of fungicide modes of action
• Minimum of 5 years experience in agricultural research including designing and executing field trials
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Strong organizational skills
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast paced environment
• Ability to travel as needed to support business needs
• Willingness to work long hours during peak periods

Bonus experience:

• Experience working with agricultural retail and internal salespeople
• Laboratory and pathology diagnostic experience
• Industry experience including managing and leading people

Benefits

Benefits

The US base salary range for this position is $85,000 - $140,000 + benefits. Within the range, individual pay is determined by factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

InnerPlant provides an amazing opportunity to work on some of the hardest problems facing humanity and help design the agricultural systems of the future. In addition to working with a fun team, we offer competitive compensation, insurance benefits, and flexible time-off.

InnerPlant provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.

This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.