Salinas Station Manager
2 days ago
Salinas
Ag Metrics Group is seeking a Salinas Station Manager to lead scientific research programs in crop protection, sustainable agriculture, and product development at our Salinas, California station. This role focuses on leafy vegetables and small fruit crops and plays a critical role in delivering high-quality, biologically relevant data to research sponsors. This is a senior leadership position that combines scientific expertise, operational management, and client engagement. The Station Manager oversees field, greenhouse, and laboratory trials while leading station staff, ensuring scientific rigor, and serving as a trusted technical partner to clients. What you’ll do • Lead and oversee field, greenhouse, and laboratory trials evaluating foliar, soil, and seed-applied crop protection products., • Plan, direct, and guide trial execution from protocol development through final reporting, ensuring timelines, quality standards, and scientific rigor are met., • Manage daily operations at the Salinas station, including staffing, workload allocation, and research priorities., • Establish and enforce scientific, operational, and data quality standards across research programs., • Review and approve trial schedules, assessment methodologies, data collection processes, and reporting deliverables., • Monitor trial progress and address technical challenges, resource constraints, or scheduling risks as needed., • Interpret research results to ensure biological relevance and alignment with sponsor objectives., • Maintain facilities, equipment, and infrastructure to support year-round research operations., • Serve as the primary technical and scientific point of contact for clients, providing updates, insights, and actionable recommendations. What success looks like • Trials are consistently executed on schedule, with clear documentation, strong biological relevance, and reliable, high-quality data., • Research outputs meet sponsor expectations for scientific rigor, data integrity, and usability., • The Salinas station operates efficiently with a well-led, engaged, and safety-focused team., • Professional, proactive communication strengthens long-term client partnerships. What you bring Required Qualifications: • Master’s or Ph.D. in Plant Pathology, Biology, Crop Protection, or related agricultural discipline., • Minimum of five (5) years of agricultural research experience, including field trial execution., • Experience in pesticide efficacy research, disease management, and crop pest biology., • Demonstrated experience preparing scientific reports and presenting data-driven results. Skills and Abilities: • Strong leadership, organizational, time management, and critical thinking skills., • Ability to work effectively across fields, greenhouses, and laboratory environments., • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including presenting technical findings to clients and stakeholders., • Ability to exercise independent judgment and manage competing priorities in a dynamic research environment., • Proficiency with ARM and Microsoft Office or comparable research, data management, and reporting tools. Other Requirements • Ability to work outdoors in variable and extreme weather conditions for extended periods., • Must be able to safely lift and carry up to 50 pounds on a regular basis., • Willingness to travel for short-term assignments, as needed., • Must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without current or future employer sponsorship. Why Join Ag Metrics Group This role offers ownership of a key research station and the opportunity to influence how trials are planned, executed, and communicated—while working directly with clients who rely on objective, high-quality scientific data to support product development and plant health decisions. Job Type: Full-time / Exempt/Salaried Pay range: $100,000 to $110,000 a year Benefits: • 401(k), • Cell phone reimbursement, • Dental insurance, • Employee assistance program, • Health insurance, • Life insurance, • Paid time off, • Referral program How to Apply Submit your application with a resume highlighting your research leadership experience, crops or systems you’ve worked in, and preferably examples of technical reporting or client-facing work. A cover letter is optional, but encouraged.