Wonderful Orchards, the world’s largest grower of almonds, pistachios, and pomegranates with approximately 100,000 planted acres across California’s San Joaquin Valley, is hiring a full-time R&D Technical Services Researcher in Lost Hills, CA. As part of The Wonderful Company — a privately held $5 billion global powerhouse behind brands including Wonderful Pistachios, FIJI Water, and POM Wonderful — this role is central to validating and creating farming innovations that shape the future of large-scale commercial agriculture in California and beyond.
About Wonderful Orchards — Agricultural Innovation Leader
Global Scale: World’s largest grower of almonds, pistachios and pomegranates — 100,000+ planted acres
Parent Company: The Wonderful Company — privately held $5 billion global enterprise
Iconic Brands: Wonderful Pistachios, FIJI Water, Wonderful Halos, POM Wonderful, JUSTIN Wine, Teleflora
Mission: Harvesting health and happiness around the world — naturally grown, nutritionally driven
Values: Nourish naturally, play to win, act differently — equal opportunity employer committed to advancement
Culture: Ambitious goals, unified purpose, courageous innovation with freedom of private ownership
Lost Hills, CA — San Joaquin Valley Research Hub
Strategic Location: Lost Hills — heart of California’s productive San Joaquin Valley agricultural region
Research Scope: Applied agronomy, irrigation, cultivars, crop protection and crop physiology experiments
Field Reach: Base location with travel across all Wonderful Orchards farming locations as needed
Work Environment: Field, laboratory, and office conditions — diverse, dynamic agricultural setting
Position Overview
The R&D Technical Services Researcher at Wonderful Orchards is a critical innovation-driven field and lab role within the R&D team responsible for validating and creating farming improvements across one of the world’s most extensive commercial orchard operations. Working under the direction of the Director of Research, this position implements daily, seasonal, and yearly technical and research tasks — conducting applied agricultural experiments in agronomy, irrigation, cultivar evaluation, farming systems, crop protection, and crop physiology across California’s San Joaquin Valley.
This role is ideal for a science-oriented agricultural professional who thrives in dynamic, multi-location field environments and is passionate about advancing sustainable, data-driven farming practices. The successful candidate will manage experiments from trial design through data analysis and final reporting — directly informing the farming decisions that impact hundreds of thousands of acres of California’s most valuable permanent crops.
Why This Role Matters: As an R&D Technical Services Researcher at Wonderful Orchards, you drive farming innovation for the world’s largest almond and pistachio grower, conduct applied field and lab experiments across 100,000+ acres of California orchards, earn a competitive $70,500–$75,000 annual salary with advancement opportunities, work within The Wonderful Company’s $5 billion global brand portfolio, engage directly with academic and private agricultural experts, and directly shape the future of sustainable large-scale farming in California’s San Joaquin Valley.
Key Responsibilities
Research Planning & Experiment Implementation
- Establish and implement structured work plans under the supervision of the Director of Research
- Coordinate and conduct applied agricultural field and laboratory experiments supporting numerous sequential and overlapping activities
- Design rigorous field trials covering agronomy, irrigation methods, cultivar evaluations, farming systems, crop protection, and crop physiology
- Ensure precision and accuracy of all technical tasks from trial design through data collection and results reporting
Data Analysis & Technical Reporting
- Apply statistical measurements and data analysis methodologies to evaluate experimental results
- Report findings clearly and professionally to Farming Directors, Crop Managers, and field management teams
- Enhance the robustness of experimental activities through continuous vigilance for precision and accuracy
- Create and manage budgets associated with applied field and laboratory experiments efficiently
Cross-Functional Technical Support
- Provide actionable technical information to Farming Directors, Crop Managers, Pest Control Advisors, Spray Operations, Irrigation Managers, and field personnel
- Support cross-departmental farming teams as an adjunct technical member across all divisional operations
- Communicate research findings effectively to diverse audiences including executives, farm management, and farming personnel
- Seek out and implement opportunities to improve workplace efficiency, safety standards, and operational productivity
Field Operations & Equipment Management
- Operate, maintain, and troubleshoot specific field, laboratory, office, and agricultural equipment related to assigned experiments
- Work independently and remotely under field, lab, and office conditions across widely divergent work environments
- Navigate multi-location assignments, potentially traveling hundreds of miles per day using safe driving techniques with company vehicles
- Assess changing workplace and field conditions and confidently make task-level adjustments within assigned project scope
Team Leadership & External Engagement
- Ensure quality and quantity of work performed by support staff and contract labor crews on assigned experiments
- Supervise internal employees and contract labor teams as needed across field and lab activities
- Interact and engage with public (academic) and private (vendor) technical experts to explore existing and future farming improvements
- Maintain willingness to learn new research tasks while preserving core technical competency of existing agricultural skills
Requirements
Educational Requirements
- Bachelor’s Degree in Plant Science, Crop Science, Plant Health, Agronomy, Entomology, Biology, Lab Sciences, or agricultural-related field
- Equivalent degree in field of Science or related Agricultural discipline with relevant hands-on research experience
Experience & Knowledge Requirements
- Knowledge and hands-on experience with orchards or permanent crop farming activities strongly preferred
- Familiarity with commercial agricultural conditions, practices, and large-scale farming operations in California
- Exposure to statistical measurements of data and applied agricultural experimental design
- Experience in understanding the significance of errors and omissions during technical tasks and addressing these problems professionally
- Holding or appropriate education / experience to obtain PCA (Pest Control Advisor) and CCA (Certified Crop Adviser) certifications
Skills & Certifications
- Innovation-oriented mindset — dedicated to addressing current and future farming challenges with inquisitiveness and precision
- Strong oral and written communication skills for justifying change to diverse audiences including executives and field teams
- Valid California Driver’s License — required for field travel across farming locations
- Bilingual English / Spanish — strongly preferred for communication with diverse farming personnel
- Ability to lift and move up to 50 pounds — field and lab physical requirements apply
Professional Attributes
- Team player — flexible, consistent, and reliable with ability to work with minimal supervision in remote field environments
- Customer-oriented focus — serving the needs of farming operations as an adjunct member of divisional farming teams
- Daily commitment to safety, productivity, and high attention to detail across all field, lab, and office activities
- Ability to navigate widely divergent work environments from executive offices to active farming field operations
- Passion for agricultural innovation, sustainable farming practices, and continuous improvement in permanent crop production
Compensation & Benefits
Annual Salary: $70,500 – $75,000 USD (final compensation dependent on skills and experience)
Company: The Wonderful Company — privately held $5 billion global enterprise
Career Advancement: Equal opportunity employer with clear advancement opportunities
Vehicle: Company-provided vehicles for field travel and multi-location work
Work Environment: Combination of field, laboratory, and professional office settings
EEO: All qualified applicants receive consideration regardless of race, religion, gender, age, disability, or veteran status
About Wonderful Orchards Excellence
Wonderful Orchards is the world’s largest grower of almonds, pistachios, and pomegranates, operating approximately 100,000 planted acres throughout California’s San Joaquin Valley. As an integral part of The Wonderful Company — a privately held $5 billion global enterprise — Wonderful Orchards brings together agricultural innovation, scientific research, and sustainable farming practices to produce some of the world’s most recognized and nutritious food brands.
The Wonderful Company’s portfolio includes Wonderful Pistachios, Wonderful Halos, POM Wonderful, FIJI Water, JUSTIN Wine, and Teleflora — brands trusted by consumers worldwide. Their commitment to nourishing people naturally, playing to win with ambition, and acting differently through courageous innovation makes The Wonderful Company one of the most exciting agricultural employers in the United States.
Research & Innovation: As an R&D Technical Services Researcher, you will be part of the team validating and creating the farming innovations that keep Wonderful Orchards at the global forefront of permanent crop agriculture — directly contributing to the health and happiness of consumers worldwide.
Physical & Work Environment
This position involves a combination of office, field, and laboratory environments. Candidates must be able to sit, stand, walk, and occasionally lift up to 50 pounds. The role requires close and distance vision with the ability to adjust focus. Noise levels range from low to moderate, and candidates will be exposed to typical California agricultural field conditions including variable outdoor temperatures. Multi-location travel across farming sites — potentially covering hundreds of miles per day — is a core function of this position.
Who Should Apply?
Innovation-Driven Scientists: Seeking a high-impact R&D career with the world’s largest almond and pistachio growing operation
Agricultural Science Graduates: With Bachelor’s degree in Plant Science, Crop Science, Agronomy, Entomology, or related field
Crop Research Professionals: With hands-on experience in orchard or permanent crop farming operations in California
Farm Agronomists: Familiar with commercial agricultural conditions and large-scale field experiment design and execution
PCA / CCA Certified Professionals: Or those qualified and working toward Pest Control Advisor and Certified Crop Adviser certification
Bilingual Agricultural Researchers: English / Spanish speakers with applied field and lab research background in California farming
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