PepsiCo — one of the world’s largest food and beverage enterprises — is hiring a creative, results-oriented Agricultural Science Technician at their Ag Science facility in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. You will execute phenotyping and trialing activities primarily across potatoes, contributing directly to PepsiCo’s Foods R&D mission of improving raw agricultural materials at the source. This role offers a salary range of $54,700 to $82,050, a comprehensive benefits package, and a unique opportunity to work within PepsiCo’s Agricultural Science function as part of a world-class crop improvement program.
About the Role — Ag Science Technician at PepsiCo Rhinelander
Division: PepsiCo Foods R&D — Agricultural Science function, Rhinelander, WI facility
Primary Crop: Potatoes — with potential expansion to oats and other crops of agricultural importance to PepsiCo
Operations: On-site fields, off-site fields, material grading facility, and sample processing labs
Reporting: Reports to the Variety Trialing Lead on-site at the Rhinelander Agricultural Science facility
Travel: 10–15% travel required, primarily across North America by land or air
Why This Agricultural Science Technician Role at PepsiCo Stands Out
Global Brand Impact: Your phenotyping and trialing work directly improves the raw agricultural materials used in PepsiCo’s iconic snack and food products
Competitive Compensation: $54,700–$82,050 annual salary with a full benefits package including medical, dental, vision, disability insurance, and retirement plan
R&D Career Platform: Be part of PepsiCo Foods R&D — one of the most well-resourced agricultural science programs in the global food industry
Scientific Variety: Work across field trials, phenotyping assessments, harvest grading, chip frying evaluations, greenhouse operations, and sample processing labs
Position Overview
The Agricultural Science Technician at PepsiCo’s Rhinelander, Wisconsin facility is a dynamic R&D role embedded within the company’s potato variety trialing and phenotyping programs. You will plan, prepare, and execute field trials — working both on-site and off-site — while leading phenotyping assessments that evaluate potato varieties across field performance, harvest quality, fresh and storage chip frying traits, and processing characteristics. Working closely with trial leads, you will also support broader oat and potato breeding activities, on-site crop operations, field and greenhouse planting and harvest activities, and data management. This role requires someone who is equally comfortable in a lab, a field, and a grading facility — and who takes genuine ownership of their work with the independence to make decisions that keep projects on track.
Why This Role Matters: PepsiCo sources agricultural raw materials from around the world to produce the snacks and foods enjoyed by billions of consumers every day. As an Agricultural Science Technician in Rhinelander, your phenotyping assessments and trialing data directly determine which potato varieties make it to commercial cultivation — shaping the quality, yield, and processing performance of the raw agricultural materials at the very heart of PepsiCo’s food business. It is genuinely rare for a technician-level role to carry this level of direct supply chain impact — and that is what makes this position so compelling for ambitious agricultural scientists.
Key Responsibilities
Field Trialing — Planting, Harvest & Data Collection
- Work with trialing leads and technicians to plan, prepare, and execute the full lifecycle of on-site and off-site field trials — from seed preparation and planting through in-season management and formal harvest
- Support trial and field activities including pulling seed, seed cutting, planting, sample pulling, organizing, and harvest operations across potato and oat breeding programs
- Adapt effectively to unexpected delays and workflow changes — maintaining overall trial productivity and ensuring project objectives are met within season
- Communicate staffing needs and coordinate labor with the manager and trialing team to ensure all field activities are resourced appropriately
Phenotyping & Variety Assessment
- Lead and conduct phenotyping assessments of potato varieties in the field and at the dedicated phenotyping facility — evaluating plant performance, disease resistance, agronomic traits, and physical characteristics throughout the growing season
- Perform field inspections across trial plots, assessing crop health, stand uniformity, and development stage against expected trial parameters
- Conduct raw potato grading at harvest — evaluating tuber size, shape, skin quality, and defect profiles against established variety specifications
- Execute fresh and storage chip frying evaluations and assess processing traits — generating the quality data that informs downstream procurement and variety selection decisions
Data Management & Reporting
- Ensure timely receipt, accurate data entry, and systematic organization of all trial and phenotyping results — maintaining data integrity across relational databases and supporting tools
- Monitor and troubleshoot challenges with trial, field, and phenotype facility operations — proactively identifying potential solutions and reporting issues to the trialing lead promptly
- Utilize software tools including Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, and relational database platforms to manage trial data, generate reports, and support cross-team communications
Safety, Operations & Additional Support
- Comply with all local EHS (Environment, Health, and Safety) requirements — completing all assigned training programs and actively leading a Safety Program within the Rhinelander facility
- Contribute to broader on-site crop operations including greenhouse planting, field management, and harvest activities across potato, oat, and future research crop programs
- Support future research crops, new objectives, and additional agricultural science activities as assigned by the Variety Trialing Lead and management team
- Operate equipment including PIT/Forklift as required — candidates must be able to obtain and maintain a valid forklift operator license
Qualifications & Requirements
Educational & Experience Requirements
- Bachelor of Science degree preferred in Plant Breeding, Horticulture, Agronomy, Biology, or a closely related agricultural or biological science discipline
- Relevant hands-on experience in an active plant breeding or variety trialing program, agriculture, agricultural data analysis, or inventory tracking is preferred — but all qualified applicants will be considered
- Ability to obtain a license for PIT (Powered Industrial Truck) / Forklift Operator is required for this role
- Must be willing and able to travel 10–15% of the time primarily across North America by land or air
Skills & Physical Requirements
- Strong attention to detail and accurate, thorough record-keeping across all trial data, phenotyping assessments, and laboratory results
- Ability to work independently, take ownership of assigned tasks, and make sound independent decisions to keep project objectives on track
- Proficiency in basic software tools — Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook — and ability to input or query data from relational database systems
- Strong communication and team collaboration skills — able to coordinate effectively with trial leads, technicians, and cross-functional R&D teams
- Ability to operate in hot, cold, wet, and dry environments including open crop fields, greenhouses, and agricultural/science equipment environments
- Must be able to safely lift up to 50 lbs as required by field and facility operations
About PepsiCo & PepsiCo Ag Science
PepsiCo is a major global food enterprise sourcing diverse raw materials of agricultural origin — including tuber, grain, and fruit and vegetable crops — from around the world to produce its iconic snack and food brands. The Agricultural Science function within PepsiCo Foods R&D is responsible for the research, trialing, and variety selection programs that directly improve the quality and performance of these raw materials at the source. The Rhinelander, Wisconsin facility serves as a key site in PepsiCo’s North American potato and oat trialing programs — making it a genuinely exciting environment for agricultural scientists who want their work to matter at a global scale.
Equal Opportunity Employer: PepsiCo is fully committed to equal employment opportunity without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability status. All qualified applicants receive full consideration.
About PepsiCo & PepsiCo Ag Science
PepsiCo is a major global food enterprise sourcing diverse raw materials of agricultural origin — including tuber, grain, and fruit and vegetable crops — from around the world to produce its iconic snack and food brands. The Agricultural Science function within PepsiCo Foods R&D is responsible for the research, trialing, and variety selection programs that directly improve the quality and performance of these raw materials at the source. The Rhinelander, Wisconsin facility serves as a key site in PepsiCo’s North American potato and oat trialing programs — making it a genuinely exciting environment for agricultural scientists who want their work to matter at a global scale.
Equal Opportunity Employer: PepsiCo is fully committed to equal employment opportunity without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, or disability status. All qualified applicants receive full consideration.
Who Should Apply?
- Plant Science & Agronomy Graduates: With B.S. degrees in Plant Breeding, Horticulture, Agronomy, or Biology seeking a hands-on R&D role at a globally recognized food company
- Agricultural Research Technicians: With active field trial, phenotyping, or crop breeding program experience ready to apply their skills within PepsiCo’s Foods R&D function
- Potato & Crop Production Specialists: With knowledge of potato agronomy, harvest grading, or processing trait evaluation in commercial or research environments
- Data-Driven Agricultural Professionals: Comfortable with relational databases, Excel, and structured data entry across complex multi-season crop trialing programs
- Hands-On Science Professionals: Who thrive in dynamic, field-to-lab environments, can work independently, and take genuine ownership of their research contributions
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