JOB TITLE : Lead Agronomist
DEPARTMENT : Research & Development
LOCATION : Swindon (National travel required)
COMPANY OVERVIEW
Zero Global has partnered with CCm Technologies, an environmental technology company based in Swindon. Founded in 2011, CCm has developed from a research company to a commercial organisation, with initial sales to several large multinational customers. The CCm vision is the realisation of a low carbon circular economy for its customers, globally.
CCm's world leading technology utilises captured CO2 and other waste materials converting them into value-added products with multiple uses across the global priority sectors of food/agriculture, advanced materials, water utilities & energy storage.
CCm is currently involved in the design and deployment of pilot/demonstration and full-scale plants at a number of customer sites. The patented process is based on high primary capture efficiencies from novel cellulose/amine capture material which retain 95% of flue sourced CO2. Other applications for the technology include heat storage and power generation.
CCm has developed a supportive, responsive and hard-working culture where all employees are valued and work together as a team for the shared success of the Company. CCm is committed to training and developing its employees so that individual growth can match the growth of the Company.
ROLE SUMMARY
CCm is currently seeking a driven and experienced Lead Agronomist to join our team and lead research and development activities. As the Lead Agronomist at CCm, you will play a crucial role in improving our sustainable fertiliser products and ensuring the dissemination of agronomic technical knowledge to our stakeholders.
From a product development viewpoint this will involve balancing conventional agricultural practice with new approaches that significantly reduce the carbon footprint of crop production centred on fertiliser production and use.
A significant part of the role relates to the communication of CCm’s substantial decarbonisation benefits to a broad range of stakeholders ranging from Farmers through Carbon Assessment Platforms to Global Corporate Consumers.
RESPONSIBILITIES
The Lead Agronomist’s main responsibilities will include:
- Lead Research and Development:
- Lead research and development activities related to sustainable fertiliser products, including formulation, testing, and optimisation
- Conduct field trials and experiments to evaluate the effectiveness and agronomic impact of CCm fertilisers
- Develop programmes that advance the integration of CCm materials within industrial carbon assessment platforms
- Analyse data and research findings to identify opportunities for product improvement and innovation
- Stay updated with the latest advancements and trends in agronomy and fertiliser technology to drive continuous improvement
- Provide Agronomic Technical Knowledge:
- Act as a subject matter expert in agronomy, providing technical guidance and support to internal teams and external stakeholders
- Collaborate with sales and marketing teams to ensure accurate and effective communication of agronomic and Carbon reduction benefits to customers, partners, and regulatory bodies
- Develop and deliver technical training programs for internal staff and external stakeholders to enhance their understanding of CCm fertilisers and their application
- Support Stakeholder Engagement:
- Build and maintain strong relationships with agronomic experts, consultants, farmers, and industry organizations to understand their needs and gather feedback
- Represent CCm Technologies in industry conferences, seminars, and meetings to share knowledge and promote our sustainable fertiliser solutions
- Collaborate with farmers and agricultural organizations to conduct on-farm trials and demonstrations of CCm fertilisers to showcase their efficacy and sustainability
- Documentation and Reporting:
- Prepare comprehensive reports, technical documents, and research papers to communicate research findings, product performance, and recommendations
- Maintain accurate records of research activities, experimental protocols, and data analysis for future reference and regulatory compliance
The role holder will be expected to:
- Develop research programmes to build on CCm’s substantial existing work to further improve the quality of the CCm products and to further reduce the Carbon impact of our fertilisers
- Build on existing relationship with customer and independent agronomic and environmental teams to ensure that CCm materials remain central to the development of sustainable agricultural solutions
- Ensure that product development is integrated with ongoing engineering delivery capacity.
- By building on existing networks and through the creation of new ones ensure that CCm fertilsers can enter a broader range of agricultural production i.e. diversification from Broadfield crops
- Develop new applications of the technology that best exploit its Carbon impact and technical performa
- Integrate with engineering and business development teams to develop new cost effective solutions for more sustainable agricultural production
- Ensure that the wider business is appraised of the full cost benefits that developments in Agronomic practice can bring.
- Be aware of the changing agribusiness environment to ensure that CCm product can be used to meet new challenges as the sector evolves.
- Increase sector awareness of how CCm products work and are used
- Ensure that they are up to date with the wider competitive environment and the relative benefits of new and developing approaches to sustainable agriculture
ESSENTIAL SKILLS, QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE
- Bachelor's degree in Agronomy, Soil Science, or a related field.
- A strong appreciation of the Carbon impact and quantification of existing agronomic practices
- Proven experience in agronomic research and development, preferably in the fertiliser industry (c. 5 years)
- In-depth knowledge of plant nutrition, soil fertility, crop management, and agronomic practices
- Strong analytical skills to interpret research data and make informed recommendations for product improvement
- Excellent communication and presentation skills to effectively convey technical information to diverse audiences
- Ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams and external stakeholders.
- Proficiency in data analysis software, statistical tools, and agronomic modelling software
- Willingness to travel to field sites, farms, conferences, and customer locations as required
- A full UK driver’s licence
DESIRABLE
- A related Masters or Ph.D. qualification
- Industrial qualifications in agronomy and fertiliser use
- Experience working in the Anaerobic Digestion industry
- Practical experience of material fertiliser delivery systems
- Experience of recycling technologies