Research Technician – Plant Health & Tunnel Operations

About the role

Starke Ayres, a leading African specialist and global supplier of premium vegetable, flower and lawn seed varieties, is seeking two Research Technicians to support its farming operations in Kempton Park. One of the positions will focus on tunnel production.

Key responsibilities

• Monitor and report plant health, stress indicators and abnormalities in field, net‑house and glasshouse conditions.
• Organise weekly field walks with the farm manager, supervisor and breeder.
• Execute planting schedules in coordination with the supervisor and field team.
• Oversee seed processing activities including harvesting, drying, cleaning, treating, labelling and cold‑room organisation.
• Collect and record trial data from field, tunnel and nursery experiments.
• Perform hand pollinations (selfing and crossing) and identify off‑type plants.
• Carry out phytosanitary applications and support government inspections.
• Conduct leaf sampling for DNA analysis and maintain accurate seed receiving and shipment records.
• Report maintenance needs for tunnels, irrigation systems, equipment and related infrastructure.
• Monitor pest and disease pressure, chemical spray efficacy and fertigation programmes.

Required profile

• BSc in Genetics, Horticulture, Agriculture or related field (NQF Level 7).
• Minimum 5 years of general farming experience, preferably with vegetable or maize crops.
• Experience in field, tunnel or controlled‑environment production and supervising field labour.
• Proven ability to manage day‑to‑day tunnel operations, including planting schedules, crop cycles and harvest management.
• Knowledge of irrigation systems, fertigation programmes and climate‑control equipment in tunnel environments.

Required skills

• Proficiency with Microsoft Word and Excel.
• Experience using breeding databases, field tablets, barcoding and sample‑tracking applications.
• Ability to upload, validate and quality‑check digital data and maintain digital seed inventory.
• Capability to calibrate planting and spraying equipment and perform basic troubleshooting of research equipment.
• Willingness to obtain and use a pesticide applicator certificate.