Supervisor - Research and Development

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Job Purpose

The R&D Supervisor oversees the design, execution, and operational integration of nursery‑focused research trials, while supervising daily activities of the R&D Technicians and coordinating closely with Quality Control and Plant Health team members. This role ensures that innovations in propagation, production systems, plant health, and quality standards are effectively trialed, validated, documented, and transitioned into scalable operational practices.

The R&D Supervisor acts as the link between R&D research objectives and nursery operations—ensuring that new protocols, and quality insights are implemented consistently and effectively.

Key Responsibilities

1. Data Management, Analysis & Reporting

• Oversee data recording, validation, and analysis using statistical approaches appropriate to experiment design.
• Review technical reports, dashboards, and trial summaries prepared by R&D Technicians.
• Consolidate trial outcomes into clear, actionable recommendations for operational teams.
• Present findings to R&D leadership, production management, and cross‑functional stakeholders.

2. R&D Program Leadership & Trial Oversight

• Lead planning, prioritization, and scheduling of R&D trials across propagation, nursery production, plant health, and biosecurity.
• Review and validate experimental designs prepared by R&D Technicians to ensure scientific rigor.
• Oversee execution of trials involving substrates, irrigation strategies, fertigation recipes, species‑specific propagation, and climate‑adaptation methods.
• Monitor trial progress, troubleshoot issues, and ensure protocols are followed precisely.
• Ensure collection of high‑quality datasets and maintain full traceability for all experiments.

3. Integration of R&D into Operations

• Coordinate with operations, propagation, plant health, and QC teams to pilot and implement new SOPs
• Track adoption and performance of new technologies, tools, substrates, and methods in the nursery.
• Facilitate training sessions for nursery teams on updated practices and innovations.

4. Supervision & Team Development

• Supervise, guide, and evaluate the R&D Technician (Propagation & Trials).
• Provide technical support and coordination to QC Nursery Technician and Plant Health & Biosecurity Technician
• Ensure team members comply with R&D documentation, QC standards, and nursery hygiene practices.

5. Collaboration with QC and Plant Health Functions

• Work closely with QC Nursery Technician to integrate production quality findings into new R&D trials.
• Collaborate with Plant Health & Biosecurity Technician to incorporate health risk assessments into propagation trials and resilience studies.
• Support cross‑departmental investigations into root cause of quality or health failures, contributing R&D insights and trial‑based evidence.
• Participate in development of monitoring tools, checklists, and early‑warning systems related to plant quality and health.

6. Compliance, Safety & Documentation Management

• Maintain full documentation of trials, SOPs, risk assessments, and material inventories related to R&D.
• Support internal audits and external compliance checks, providing evidence from ongoing trials.

Qualifications & Experience

Essential

• Bachelor’s degree in Horticulture, Plant Science, Agronomy, or related field (Master’s preferred).
• Minimum 4–6 years of experience in horticultural R&D, commercial nurseries, or propagation.
• Proven experience in experimental design, data analysis, and technical reporting.
• Strong knowledge of plant propagation, nursery production systems, and plant health fundamentals.

Desirable

• Experience supervising technical staff in nursery/ research environments.
• Familiarity with native or climate‑resilient species.
• Practical experience with substrates, irrigation automation, fertigation programs, or sensor‑based monitoring.
• Training in statistical analysis, data visualization, or R&D software tools

Key Competencies

• Strong leadership and team‑coordination skills
• Analytical and problem‑solving ability
• High attention to detail and research rigor
• Strong communication and report‑writing skills
• Ability to work cross‑functionally and manage multiple projects
• Commitment to plant health, quality standards, and biosecurity