Agriculture expert / project Coordinator

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Agronomist cum Project Coordinator Position with RoundGlass Foundation

The Agriculture and or Project Coordinator will provide scientific support for regenerative agriculture activities associated with the Regen-AG Program. He/She will work closely with the Regen-AG Program Director, Lead, and other relevant teams to align best available science with the Regen-AG Program strategy, on-the-groundwork, and communications. The agronomist will collaborate with both internal and external partners to build understanding at the confluence of climate and agriculture so that RoundGlass Foundation can pursue science-backed opportunities to tackle regenerative and sustainable agriculture as well as climate change. Agronomist will be expected to compile and present written and verbal reports for internal and external audiences with varying levels of technical expertise. The role will serve as the primary agronomy science and technical expertise resource for the project. The Agronomist will report to the Regen-AG Program Director/Head.  The preferred location for this position is Mohali or within Punjab with frequent travel to other locations in Punjab and sometimes outside state. No immigration or sponsorship assistance is provided with this position. 

Essential Functions

The Agronomist will contribute to efforts to establish RoundGlass Foundation as a leader Regen-AG Program in India in the application of agronomy and soil science to address conservation and environment challenges, including crop residue management and climate change. Focused primarily on Regen-AG program, Agronomist will support: (i) identification of suitable agronomic technologies and practices; (ii) development/refinement of monitoring protocols to quantify the impact of various project interventions on GHG emissions, soil carbon, water and other related aspects; (iii) monitoring, data synthesis, data visualization, report writing and sharing of results with key audiences; and (iv) developing and providing guidance on effective practices to achieve environmental and agronomic goals.  

Specific activities may include: (i) synthesizing data to quantify the potential for no-burn agriculture to contribute to climate mitigation; (ii) synthesizing data to understand regional variation as well as potential for contribution to other environmental and agronomic outcomes; (iii) contributing to development , refinement, and application of monitoring protocols to quantify the impact of project on various parameters, including climate mitigation; and (iv) work with the Regen-AG program team to design appropriate messages for communication products targeted at farmers and other stakeholders. Agronomist will ensure that these messages are clear and in accordance with the best available science.

Agronomist will conduct regular field visits to meet with the target farmers and monitor the project activities. Agronomist will provide guidance on effective practices to achieve environmental and agronomic goals of the project. Agronomist will advise internally and externally on technical aspects related to conservation agriculture, adhering to RoundGlass Foundation’s rigorous scientific and external engagement principles.

Responsibilities & Scope

• Offer agriculture technical and science expertise within the Regen-AG program on issues of improved crop management, soil management, sustainable intensification, climate-smart agriculture, multi-functional landscapes, and food systems analysis as well as identifying and promoting technologies to promote sustainable and resilient farming systems in the project regions.
• Provide insights into the effects of various variable climate change scenarios.
• Provide scientific and technical guidance, coordinate and monitor the Regen-AG program project agriculture activities and capacity to the implementing partners of the Regen-AG program project for effective implementation and successful delivery.
• Recognize opportunities for innovative action and accelerate the identification, prioritization, and uptake of adaptive measures.

• Provide technical support and strategic direction to the Field Operations Manager, field-based staff and project partners.
• Develop evidence gap maps of farmers’ knowledge and understanding of best agricultural practices.
• Identify and analyze the barriers and opportunities for the uptake of sustainable crop residue management practices and formulate recommendations to address.
• Co-design interventions based on farming systems approaches and farmer typology and profiling.
• Support the integration of geo-spatial data analysis for learning, decision making and monitoring.
• Collaborate with the Regen-AG program project Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Manager to develop and implement appropriate monitoring and tracking systems.
• Build and strengthen working partnerships with universities (such as Punjab Agriculture University), research institutions, and government agencies.
• Take part in program planning, reviews and project meetings.
• Overall coordination of field activities in close association with all the Regen Agriculture program staff.

Minimum Qualifications
 

• Master’s degree in a science-related field (e.g., agronomy/agroecology, environmental sciences, soil science) and 2-5 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated understanding of principles and practices of sustainable agriculture, including soil health, climate mitigation, climate adaptation, nutrient management.
• Experience of conducting applied research and analysis.
• Excellent team player with experience of working in multi-disciplinary teams, using interpersonal skills to build strong relationships with conservation teams, internal scientists, corporations, academics, and policy makers.
• Excellent communication skills – written and spoken and graphical.
• Fluency in English, Hindi and Punjabi.

Desired Qualifications

• PhD degree in agriculture, crop science, soil science, natural resource management or related discipline with experience in systems-related research.
• Knowledge and experience of developing systems for monitoring, reporting, verification and evaluation of impact of agricultural systems on climate, soil health, and environment.
• Knowledge of and experience related to the production, storage, processing, and commercialization of rice, wheat, and other key crops in Punjab.
• Field experience including direct interaction and/or partnering with farmers.
• Expertise in spatial analysis/remote sensing as well as applied statistics/data science.
• Development of agricultural practices guidelines and materials.
• Record of peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals.
• Demonstrated capabilities in project or program management, including ensuring collaboration and coordination of project activities among partners and reporting project results.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Experience in working with a wide range of stakeholders and interest to work in interdisciplinary teams.
• Expertise in management and analytics of big data related to climate services information, including the use of climate forecast information.
• A high level of competency in the design and implementation of field-based experiments.

• Experience in training others.
• Ability to meet deadlines and work successfully in a fast-paced organization.

Builds Relationships	Builds productive relationships by interacting with others in ways that enhance mutual trust and commitment.
Collaboration & Teamwork	Works collaboratively with stakeholders across levels, geographies, backgrounds, and cultures to improve decisions, strengthen commitment, and be more effective.
Communicates Authentically	Communicates proactively and in a timely manner to share information, persuade, and influence with the appropriate level of detail, tone, and opportunities for feedback.
Develops Others	Takes ownership to help develop others’ skills, behaviors, and mindsets to help them maximize their workplace contributions.
Drives for Results	Sets challenging goals and objectives based on a strong sense of purpose and high-performance standards and steadfastly pushes self and others for tangible results, while ensuring work-life balance.
Leverages Difference	Demonstrates commitment to harnessing the power of differences strategically; consistently sees, learns from, and takes strategic action related to difference; and demonstrates the self-awareness and behaviors to work across differences of identity and power respectfully and effectively with all stakeholder. Actively seeks to build and retain a diverse workforce and fosters an equitable inclusive workplace by drawing upon diverse perspectives.
Systems Leadership	Thinks and acts from a broad perspective with a long-term view and an understanding of 1) the dynamic nature of large-scale challenges and 2) the need for integrating five key practices: skillfully engaging appropriate people; providing a clear process for change; taking a holistic view of situations; focusing on a small number of strategic actions, while learning from and adapting them over time; and being aware of how one’s own thinking or patterns of behavior may be limiting change.