PepsiCo Global R&D — one of the world’s most recognised food and beverage innovators — is hiring a Crop Technology Associate Scientist within its Agricultural Science team, based in Leicester, England. This exciting early-career role supports the global deployment and adoption of crop-technology solutions across trialling teams and grower networks, working across the full lifecycle of crop technologies from identification and validation through to real-world field implementation.
About the Team — PepsiCo Agricultural Science & Global R&D
Global Scope: PepsiCo’s Agricultural Science team operates across international trialling networks and grower partnerships worldwide
Full Lifecycle R&D: Works from crop-technology identification and validation through to large-scale global deployment
Innovation-Driven: Translates cutting-edge crop science into practical, scalable solutions for real-world agricultural environments
Cross-Functional Culture: Collaborative teams linking R&D, field operations, growers, and global stakeholders
UK Hub: Leicester is a strategic R&D centre for PepsiCo’s European and global agricultural science programmes
Why This Opportunity Is Exceptional
Global Impact: Your work directly supports crop-technology deployment across grower networks in multiple countries
Early-Career Growth: An ideal launchpad for agriculture graduates seeking a world-class R&D environment
Hands-On Role: Engage directly with field teams, partner growers, and advanced agricultural technologies daily
PepsiCo Brand: Join one of the world’s top FMCG companies and build a career in global agricultural innovation
Position Overview
The Agricultural Scientist (Crop Technology Associate Scientist) role within PepsiCo Global R&D in Leicester sits at the exciting intersection of agricultural science and real-world technology deployment. This is a hands-on, field-facing position for someone who thrives on translating complex scientific solutions into practical tools that growers and trialling teams can confidently use at scale. The role spans technology validation, SOP development, stakeholder engagement, and continuous improvement of deployed tools — making it one of the most dynamic early-career opportunities available in UK agricultural science in 2026.
Why This Role Matters: As a Crop Technology Associate Scientist at PepsiCo, you bridge the gap between world-class agricultural R&D and ground-level farming operations. You lead deployment of crop-technology tools across global trialling networks, create practical SOPs and user guidance that make complex science accessible to growers, gather real-world feedback to continuously improve technology performance, support field-based validation trials, and collaborate with internal R&D teams and external agricultural partners — all from a strategic UK base in Leicester. This is a genuinely impactful role for early-career agricultural scientists.
Key Responsibilities
Crop Technology Deployment & Adoption
- Lead the deployment of crop-technology tools and methods across global trialling networks, ensuring successful implementation within field teams and grower operations
- Work closely with trialling teams and partner growers to support technology adoption, providing hands-on guidance and practical troubleshooting in real agricultural environments
- Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders to drive engagement and sustained uptake of new crop technologies at scale
Technical Communication & SOP Development
- Translate complex technical solutions into clear, actionable guidance — including standard operating procedures (SOPs) and user-facing materials — to enable consistent use of technologies across global regions
- Act as a key communication link between R&D teams and field operations, ensuring alignment between scientific intent and practical application
- Explain technical crop-science concepts clearly and accessibly to diverse audiences including growers, field technicians, and non-specialist stakeholders
Feedback, Continuous Improvement & Stakeholder Engagement
- Gather structured feedback from field teams and grower networks to drive continuous improvement of deployed tools and processes
- Identify performance gaps and usability challenges in real-world settings and escalate improvement recommendations to the wider R&D team
- Build strong, trusted relationships with technical teams, growers, and internal cross-functional partners across the global agricultural science network
Technology Validation & Field Trial Support
- Support the validation and evaluation of crop-technology solutions to enable effective and evidence-based global deployment decisions
- Contribute to field trials as needed, including hands-on assessment of tool performance, equipment use, and usability under real field conditions
- Document trial outcomes, performance data, and user feedback to support the full technology lifecycle from validation through to scale-up
Qualifications & Requirements
Educational Requirements
- Degree in Agriculture, Crop Science, Agronomy, Plant Science, Agricultural Engineering, or a closely related field — this is a firm requirement for the role
- Early-career professional experience in field trials, agricultural technology, or applied crop research is expected alongside academic qualifications
Experience Requirements
- Practical, hands-on experience working with field-based technologies, including equipment operation, basic troubleshooting, and following standardised SOPs
- Demonstrated experience supporting the implementation or rollout of new tools, technologies, or methodologies — including the collection and analysis of user feedback
Essential Skills & Competencies
- Strong ability to work in collaborative, cross-functional environments while building effective relationships with both technical teams and farming communities
- Excellent communication skills — able to present and explain technical crop-science concepts clearly and confidently to varied and non-specialist audiences
- Highly organised, self-motivated, and proactive in applying technology-driven solutions to real-world agricultural challenges
- Comfortable operating across multiple simultaneous technology workstreams in a fast-paced global R&D environment
About PepsiCo Global R&D Agricultural Science
PepsiCo is one of the world’s largest and most recognised food and beverage companies, with a deep commitment to sustainable agriculture, crop innovation, and responsible sourcing across its global supply chain. The Agricultural Science team within PepsiCo Global R&D works at the frontier of crop technology — developing, validating, and deploying the tools and methods that help growers produce the raw agricultural materials underpinning PepsiCo’s iconic product portfolio.
Based in Leicester, England, this team operates with genuine global reach — collaborating with trialling teams, partner growers, and R&D colleagues across multiple continents. PepsiCo’s commitment to agricultural science reflects its broader sustainability mission, ensuring that crop innovation translates into measurable impact at farm level across the world’s most important growing regions.
Career Excellence: Join PepsiCo Global R&D and shape the future of crop technology — delivering real agricultural impact at a truly global scale from one of the UK’s most vibrant science cities.
Who Should Apply?
- Agriculture & Crop Science Graduates: Early-career professionals with field trial or agri-tech experience seeking a global R&D career at a top FMCG company
- Agronomy & Plant Science Specialists: With hands-on technology deployment experience looking to join PepsiCo’s world-class agricultural science team
- Agricultural Technology Professionals: Experienced in rolling out new field tools, creating SOPs, and supporting grower adoption programmes
- Applied Research Scientists: With strong communication skills and a passion for translating crop science into practical, scalable farming solutions
- Field Trials Coordinators: Ready to step into a global technology deployment role within a leading international food and beverage R&D environment
Recently opened JOBS 👇🏻
Agronomist Jobs England UK 2026
Food Lab Assistant Jobs Dubai UAE 2026
Supplier Compliance Specialist Jobs Qatar Airways 2026
Team Manager Lab Jobs Saudi Arabia 2026
