Location: Bhopal/Guwahati
Experience: 5–8 years (in hi-tech nursery establishment, tissue culture labs, and allied systems)
Company : Vistaar Agrotech Private Limited
Role Overview
The Scientific Officer – Nursery Setup and Management will be responsible for planning, establishing, and managing high-tech nurseries, including modern plant propagation facilities, tissue culture laboratories, and related infrastructure. The role involves applying advanced scientific and technical knowledge to develop scalable, climate-resilient nurseries that support agroforestry, horticulture, and sustainable agriculture programs.
Key Responsibilities
- Nursery Planning & Establishment
- Design and set up hi-tech nurseries with greenhouse/polyhouse systems, mist chambers, shade houses, and automated irrigation/fertigation systems.
- Develop standard operating procedures (SOPs) for seedling production, grafting, and micropropagation.
- Select and procure appropriate technologies, equipment, and planting material.
- Tissue Culture Laboratory Management
- Plan and oversee tissue culture lab setup (laminar airflow units, autoclaves, incubators, culture rooms, media preparation).
- Establish protocols for in vitro propagation of priority crops, forestry species, and ornamentals.
- Monitor contamination control, growth conditions, and quality assurance for plantlets.
- Technical & Scientific Oversight
- Conduct trials on new propagation techniques, plant varieties, and disease management practices.
- Collaborate with universities, ICAR institutes, and research organizations for technical validation.
- Train field staff, nursery managers, and community groups in advanced nursery practices.
- Operational Management
- Supervise day-to-day nursery operations, including production targets, quality checks, and record-keeping.
- Ensure compliance with biosecurity, environmental, and regulatory standards.
- Manage budgets, procurement, and vendor engagement for nursery inputs and lab consumables.
- Sustainability & Innovation
- Integrate renewable energy and climate-resilient technologies into nursery and lab operations.
- Develop models for large-scale nursery-based agroforestry, biodiversity restoration, and carbon credit generation.
Qualifications & Skills
- Master’s/PhD in Botany, Horticulture, Forestry, Biotechnology, or Plant Sciences.
- Proven experience (5–8 years) in nursery establishment, tissue culture, or related plant propagation systems.
- Strong technical knowledge of greenhouse/polyhouse systems, irrigation/fertigation, plant health, and nursery economics.
- Experience in handling tissue culture protocols, contamination control, and lab management.
- Familiarity with vendors and suppliers of nursery and lab equipment.
- Excellent project management, documentation, and reporting skills.
- Ability to train and guide teams, farmers, and FPOs.
Interested candidates may send their CV, cover letter mentioning your present and expected salary to hr@vistaaragro.com with the subject line: Application – Scientific Officer-Nursery Setup and Management