Agricultural Trialing Scientist - Cereals
Location: Market Stainton, near Lincoln (UK)
Deadline for applications: 31st August 2026.
Please quote reference: TrialingScientist2026
We are looking for a Trialing Scientist to develop, manage, and deliver high-performing cereal field trial programmes that generate robust, high-quality data to support breeding decisions and product placement across the UK. In this role, you will design, implement, and oversee both early- and late-stage cereal field trials, ensuring excellence in experimental design, phenotyping quality, environmental characterisation, and data integrity. Working closely with breeders, operations, data science teams, and external partners, you will play a key role in shaping and continuously improving our cereal field trial programmes, driving innovation in trial methodologies, strengthening the quality and consistency of data, and ensuring programmes remain aligned with target product profiles, breeding objectives, and business priorities.
Your main responsibilities
- Lead the design and delivery of early and late-stage cereal field trial programmes to characterise crop varieties across environments.
- Optimise trial network design through environmental characterisation and strategic placement aligned to Target Product Profiles (TPPs).
- Develop and implement robust trial methodologies, including experimental design, phenotyping standards, and field protocols.
- Ensure high-quality data capture, management, and storage of phenotypic and environmental data using designated systems and tools.
- Coordinate closely with operations, breeders, analytics teams, and external contractors to ensure effective trial execution and continuous improvement.
- Drive trial quality, KPI performance, and compliance with HSE and quality standards while contributing to innovation in phenotyping methods.
Your main skills
Essential skills
- Strong agronomy knowledge (crops, soils, farming systems)
- Understanding of experimental design and statistics for field trials
- Experience in field trials, phenotyping, or agricultural R&D
- Ability to manage and interpret high-quality agronomic and environmental data
- Strong stakeholder management in a matrix, cross-functional environment
- Good communication skills in English (written and verbal)
- High attention to detail with strong focus on data quality and HSE compliance
Desirable skills
- Experience with digital trialing and data capture tools
- Exposure to breeding programmes or TPP-driven development
- Experience managing external contractors or trial networks
- Knowledge of KPI systems and continuous improvement
- Familiarity with advanced phenotyping methods or agri-tech innovation
- Experience working in global or multi-location R&D team
What we can offer you
- Full time permanent position
- Competitive Salary £36,000 to £38,000
- Incentive scheme
- Generous company pension
- Private healthcare
- Minimum 25 days annual leave
- Active Employee Training Program for professional development
- Employee assistance programme
- Please note that you need the right to work in the UK, we do not offer Visa sponsorship with this position.
About RAGT
RAGT is a French breeding company based in Rodez near Toulouse with a breeding and research site, and successful commercial business in the UK. The company has a multi-crop portfolio and leading position in cereal varieties in the European market. RAGT are European leaders in cereals and protein rich species, varietal innovation is at the heart of our business to support and develop sustainability in agriculture.
Pay: £36,000.00-£38,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Free flu jabs
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
- Private medical insurance
- Sick pay
Work Location: In person
