Vegetable and Horticulture Specialist

**Perennia Food and Agriculture Corporation **is Nova Scotia’s food industry development agency. Weoffer an integrated suite of services to the agriculture and seafood sectors with a focus on on-farm production, quality and food safety, analytical services and product development and improvements. Our highly skilled and collaborative team focuses on superior customer service, proactive solutions, and innovative approaches to meet client needs. To assist in this effort, we are hoping to fill two positions**:Vegetable Specialist (Annapolis Valley)** and **Horticulture Specialist (Truro/Bible Hill)**.

These positions are eligible for hybrid work arrangements. Some daytime and overnight travel will be required across Nova Scotia.

Agricultural specialist positions are exciting roles within Perennia’s growing team. As a specialist you would be involved in a variety of industry-led research and demonstration projects; working with industry through participation on regional, national and some international committees; and day-to-day farmer extension activities which allow for varied interactions with farmers from in person farm calls to virtual field tours. If you haven’t had a chance to take in any of our recent publications, here is a selection of our published material YouTube page, specialist blogs, short educational videos, and our periodical, The Root. If you want to review of our extension resources for farmers, please visit

The primary focus for these positions is the delivery of a farm production extension program that will assist farmers in developing the capability, understanding and skills needed to improve productivity, enhancing competitiveness, and creating new opportunities.

The **Vegetable Specialist, **while based out of the primary vegetable growing region of the Annapolis Valley, is a provincial role that will service vegetable producers across Nova Scotia. The **Horticulture Specialist** based out of the Bible Hill office will focus on servicing farmers in Central and Eastern Nova Scotia. Specific duties include responding to agriculture production inquiries (in-person and remotely); transferring new technologies; development and delivery of workshops and field days; development of information for farmers such as fact sheets, blog posts, videos, webinars, etc.; and identifying new research or opportunities for horticulture that, if advanced, would have a positive impact on sector sustainability and/or growth. These positions require a self-starter with a passion for agriculture, strong work ethic, positive attitude, a high personal standard of excellence and who enjoys working in a collaborative team environment.
- Experience or demonstrated experience or aptitude sharing information via blogs, videos, podcasts and/or webinars
- Foundational understanding in the principles of pest management (e.g. entomology, plant pathology, weed management), plant physiology, sustainable agriculture, and nutrient management
- Good observational and diagnostics skills
- Experience in conducting applied research trials in field environments and knowledge of experimental design and analysis would be considered an asset
- Experience in project management would be preferred
- A member or eligible for P.Ag. status with the Nova Scotia Institute of Agrology

Perennia is an Equal Opportunity Employer

**Benefits**:

- Company events
- Dental care
- Disability insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Extended health care
- Life insurance
- On-site parking
- Paid time off
- RRSP match
- Vision care
- Wellness program
- Work from home

Schedule:

- Monday to Friday
- Weekends as needed

**Education**:

- Bachelor's Degree (preferred)

**Experience**:

- Horticulture: 3 years (required)
- podcast: 2 years (preferred)

Licence/Certification:

- P.Ag. (preferred)

Ability to Commute:

- Kentville, NS B4N 2N1 (required)

Ability to Relocate:

- Kentville, NS B4N 2N1: Relocate before starting work (required)

Willingness to travel:

- 50% (preferred)

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Kentville, NS B4N 2N1

Application deadline: 2024-03-01