ABOUT THE ROLE
Variety Officer – Bundaberg
SECTOR: Variety Development
EMPLOYMENT TYPE: Permanent
LOCATION: Bundaberg
Exciting full-time opportunity for a Variety Officer with great skills to make a positive impact for the Australian sugarcane industry.
• Challenging, varied, hands on role.
• Support local team developing improved sugarcane varieties.
• Contribute to increased regional sugarcane production.
Variety Officer roles are based at the major SRA sites. Working as part of the Variety Development Business Unit within SRA, Variety Officers provide support to Plant Breeders and Variety Development Managers.
As a Variety Officer you will primarily be responsible for evaluating experimental clones in field trials throughout the region to assess their commercial potential. Variety Officers manage propagation plots for trials and clean seed production for retail distribution. Variety Officers can also be involved in specialist technical activities/services, implementing new selection technologies and assisting with research projects.
Variety Officers typically operate with considerable autonomy, consulting with SRA colleagues and industry as appropriate.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Undertake complex technical activities requiring scientific knowledge and professional judgement.
• Contribute to the design and execution of experiments and interpretation of results, and to the communicating the results in diverse ways.
• Be responsible for technical facilities and/or services, including the management of employees and material resources.
• Carrying out the experimental components of projects, or providing specialist technical services, and ensuring that data and outcomes are recorded effectively and accurately.
• Undertaking audit activities.
• Ensuring appropriate testing is completed on clones in final stages of the program in an accurate and timely manner.
• Collaborate with Variety Development teams in other regions, including Mackay and NSW, to meet the requirements of each program.
• Maintaining accurate field plans and clone data in SPIDNET – plant breeding database.
• Preparing reports and other communications for growers and industry stakeholders.
• Prepare for the annual selection meeting by collating all relevant information including disease ratings on new cultivars and current clones.
• Present recommendations of selection at annual Regional Variety Committee meetings.
• Promote new varieties to industry including taking a major role participating in grower cell group meetings and field days.
• Identify suitable trial sites on grower collaborator farms, design, plant, harvest field trials and collate all relevant data.
• Demonstrates commitment to fostering the continuous development of a safer, healthier and more sustainable workplace at SRA, in a way that would be expected for this position.
• Adhere to SRA’s policies, procedures, and Code of Conduct for Staff.
• Ensure compliance obligations are upheld, and risks are managed.
• Identify and act on the training needs of yourself and those within your team to
foster an environment of continuous learning within SRA.
• Identify and effectively manage strategic and operational risks to ensure activities remain within SRA’s risk appetite.
• Any other duties as required from time to time.
YOUR REQUIREMENTS
You will be very happy to participate in outdoor activities (‘get your hands dirty’) under hot and humid conditions.
You should hold a qualification in agricultural science or equivalent degree.
You will bring capabilities and experience to:
• Undertake complex technical activities requiring scientific knowledge and professional judgement.
• Interact with industry personnel and grower collaborators to identify suitable trial sites and harvesting off-station field trials.
• Design, plant and harvest field trials and propagation plots.
• Collate, upload, and maintain accurate field plans and clone data in SRA’s plant improvement database.
• Manage technical and casual staff and material resources, including being responsible for technical facilities and/or services.
• Contribute to the design and execution of experiments and interpretation of results.
• Prepare reports and other communications for growers and industry stakeholders.
• Present results and recommendations on new cultivars and current clones at industry meetings and field days.
FURTHER INFORMATION
If you meet the requirements of the role and you would like to be part of our dedicated team, please click 'Apply' to submit your application no later than 20 March 2026. Your application should include your resume and a statement clearly addressing the requirements of the position.
Applicants must have the right to work in Australia in order to apply. The successful applicant will also be required to undertake a medical screening, drug and alcohol screening, and a police check.
For full position description view link below.
