Lead/Senior Agronomist | AI-driven Crop & FarmOps optimization R&D Researcher

Job Title: Lead/Senior Agronomist | AI-driven Crop & FarmOps optimization R&D Researcher

Location: Gurugram

Department: Agronomy, R&D & FarmOps

Reports To: Founder & CEO | Chief Agronomist

Start Date: Immediate

INNOFarms.AI is a global AI SaaS and Robotics company dedicated to transforming AgriFood enterprises and enabling climate-resilient future food systems. Leveraging advanced AI, Robotics, and IoT technologies, the company builds intelligent digital operational frameworks aimed at making agriculture smarter, efficient, and more profitable

Data-Driven Agronomy Practices: Define and implement AI-augmented crop planning, growing SOPs , and yield optimization protocols for leafy greens, herbs, and climate-resilient crops.

Technology Integration: Collaborate with AI, IoT, and product teams to map agronomy intelligence into the platform feeding real-time recommendations, health insights, and anomaly detection.

Crop Trials & Validation: Run scientific crop trials and experiments at our India & UAE model farms to validate new crops, lighting recipes, and nutrient formulations.

SOP Development & Training: Create and refine growing SOPs for different crops and environments (vertical farms, modular pods, polyhouses).

Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with AI, robotics, and BD teams to support product innovation and pilot deployment across regions.

Knowledge to Insights: Leverage sensor data, climate data, and growth KPIs to provide insights that reduce costs, improve yield, and enhance flavor/nutrition.

Execute model farm growing cycles with 95%+ crop success rate.

Support the development of a crop intelligence database for the top 20 high-margin crops across geographies.

Train and mentor internal agronomy and farm ops teams across geographies.

Collaborate with the AI/ML, IoT team on anomaly detection, health alerts, and smart recommendations.

MSc/PhD in Agronomy, Plant Science, or Agri. Engineering with 34 years of hands-on experience in hydroponics, aeroponics, or protected cultivation.

Proven leadership in R&D-driven smart farming/Indoor vertical or CEA projects ; minimum 1-2 years in commercial cultivation and lead R&D operations for indoor vertical.

Experience in setting up multi-rack vertical farms, IoT automation, R&D, fertigation strategies , nutrient recipes, lighting optimization, and environmental control.

Strong exposure to data-centric farming, AI collaboration , and digital dashboards for crop monitoring.

Comfortable working in fast-paced, high-growth startup environments , solving problems from scratch.

Passion for sustainability, food innovation, and climate tech.

Worked with startups, AI R&D labs, or AI/IoT-integrated farm platforms.

Published research in indoor/CEA/ farming or smart agriculture.

Opportunity to define a global blueprint for true intelligent farming.

Cross-border exposure: UAE, India, and expansion to SEA, and Beyond.

Dynamic team of engineers, AI scientists, product designers, and growth leaders.

Work on tech that truly matters food, climate, and the future of farming.