Permanent - Full time position (40 hours per week)

Remuneration Range: $95,000 to $125,000

DairyNZ’s story

Progressing a positive future for New Zealand dairy farming

Te whanake anamata angitu mō ngā pāmu kau o Aotearoa

At DairyNZ, we are passionate about delivering great outcomes and creating positive change. We leverage our collective strength by uniting the dairy sector, working alongside farmers to build more sustainable, profitable, and resilient farm businesses. A strong dairy sector means a strong New Zealand.

Your opportunity 

Are you passionate about advancing forage science to increase productivity and resilience on-farm for New Zealand dairy farmers? We are seeking talented and driven Scientist to join our dynamic team of Forage Scientists

In this role, you will contribute to groundbreaking research and innovation in forage production and management, agrotechnology, and farm systems. Your expertise will help drive improvements in the productivity, sustainability, and resilience of the dairy sector. Experience will include: 

• Leading or contributing to strategic planning of research programmes and projects.
• Scoping and developing research plans; designing experimental approaches, experimental conduct and analyses.
• Project management, including resourcing, budgeting and reporting.
• Lead or contribute to research funding acquisition. 
• Developing networks and collaborations with industry partners, research organisations, government agencies, and academic institutions in New Zealand and internationally.
• Supervising and mentoring junior scientists and research teams.
• Communication of research with farmers, media, rural professionals, and science community.
• Working closely with leading farmers and industry partners to apply farm systems learnings in real-world settings, ensuring research is practical and impactful.

About You

The ideal candidates will have:

• A degree in Forage Science, Agronomy, Agrotechnology, Plant Science, Agricultural Systems, or a related field (MSc or PhD preferred).
• Experience in forage research, pasture management, farm systems, or technology integration.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience in planning and conducting field experiments, along with data analysis and interpretation.
• Effective communication skills for engaging with stakeholders, including farmers.
• The ability to work collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams.
• An in-depth understanding of the challenges that the dairy sector is facing and fundamentals of the New Zealand dairy industry would also be desirable.

This is your opportunity to play a key role in a stimulating research environment and contribute to knowledge that empowers New Zealand dairy farmers to be the best in the world. We have several exciting projects on the horizon that include fundamental research, through to system level evaluation, including addressing the impact of climate change and variability of forages and feed supply, and identifying and working with tools and technologies for assessing pasture performance. This could be your opportunity to stamp your mark in big way!  If you are ready to make a difference in the field of forage science, we would love to hear from you! Applications close 2nd May 2025 at 11:55pm