Agronomist

Company Background/Culture

Gold Leaf is a farming company whose core focus is to build farms, family, and a future we’re proud of. We own and operate ~12,000 acres of almonds, pistachios, and dates in California and Arizona, making us a top ~15 grower of these crops globally. Our growth has been enabled by ~$300M of investment from our partners and our 50-person team that operates the farms every day.

Our North Star is to leave the world better than we found it. We have a significant opportunity to do well by doing good - we invest in our team, so that we can invest in differentiated, sustainable farming, so that we can drive financial results. Our farm workers have a $23 starting wage in California, fully paid healthcare, retirement, and parental leave. Our farms use technology and incorporate research-based strategies to maximize production and profitability while minimizing the use of precious natural resources.

Over time, we’ll continue to grow our farms under management, acreage, and team. We hold traditional farming values in high regard: taking pride in quality operations, buying and holding prime farms with a long-term view (everything we buy we’d be happy to own forever), and staying grounded in our values: being candid, putting family first, acting like owners and leading by example. Learn more about Gold Leaf Farming at https://www.goldleaf.ag/

Role Overview

GLF’s Agronomist is our senior agronomy leader and trusted technical partner to the VP of Operations, helping shape and continuously refine the agronomic roadmap that drives maximum yield and long-term sustainability.  This role aids in the establishment of GLF’s farming standards, blending strong science, practical field execution, and disciplined capital stewardship to deliver yield growth and orchard longevity.   

As a hands-on member of the Operations team, the Agronomist turns data and research into clear, actionable recommendations for the farms. They are responsible for advising Farm Managers in elevating yield potential and protecting tree health across 12,000 (and growing) acres of almonds and pistachios, ensuring our practices are not only scientifically sound, but also workable in real farm conditions and aligned with return on investment. 

This is a highly farm-present role across California and Arizona. The Agronomist works shoulder to shoulder with Farm Managers and Asset Managers - building technical capability, challenging assumptions, strengthening agronomic consistency, and driving measurable improvements in yield, efficiency, and long-term performance. 

The Agronomist serves as a:

• Subject matter expert in agronomy and agtech
• Business-minded partner who deeply understands cost of production and tradeoffs
• Trusted advisor to farm teams
• Self-starter who proactively identifies and solves problems related to climate, soil, water, pests, and nutrients
• Key contributor to strategic planning and expansion into new crops and regions
• Practical experiment designer delivering actionable and practical insights

Responsibilities

As a high-growth company, roles will evolve, but initially the key responsibilities of this role are to:

Optimize Cost of Production-Focused Agronomic Strategy (80% of time)

• Help establish and refine GLF’s agronomic roadmap to maximize yield and long-term sustainability
• Evaluate agronomic decisions through an ROI lens, balancing crop and tree health with financial discipline
• Continuously improve fertility, irrigation, pest, and soil strategies at each farm alongside FMs and AMs
• Analyze soil, tissue, yield, and operational data to guide decision-making
• Design and oversee practical, field-level experiments that farm teams can execute consistently
• Stay current on agronomic trends and translate best practices into cost-conscious programs
• Support the sourcing, evaluation, implementation, and improvement of agtech use to drive improved yield outcomes
• Support diligence and strategic evaluation of new crops and regions

Internal and External Stakeholder Management (20% of time)

• Build trusted relationships with Farm Managers, Asset Managers, and cross-functional partners
• Be someone FM’s want to call - approachable, practical, respectful, and present
• Influence with candor and humility while respecting decentralized decision-making
• Ensure strategies reflect real operational and financial constraints
• Participate actively in operations meetings, agronomy reviews, and farm performance discussions
• Engage with universities, researchers, and vendors to solve problems and vet innovations

Suggested Skills & Experience

An excellent candidate for this role will have the following skills & experience. If you have some but not all of the below, please apply anyway. We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity and inclusion. We look forward to considering all strong candidates.

• Master’s or PhD in Agronomy, Plant or Soil Science (or equivalent experience)
• Experience designing and executing field-scale trials
• Strong analytical skills and ability to interpret agronomic data
• Practical farm management or operational agriculture experience
• Willingness to travel frequently and be highly farm-present
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills
• Excited about technology and comfortable using standard business software (e.g. Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Spanish fluency preferred but not required

The Ideal Cultural Fit

Gold Leaf was founded with specific values in mind. We believe values should not just be written down, they should be lived every day. The ideal cultural fit is someone who: 

• Acts Like an Owner: Think and act as if you own the farms, because you do. We grant equity to every team member. We share responsibility when things go wrong and share credit when we get big wins.  
• Is Candid: Be real—open, honest and transparent. We build trust and push each other to be better through candid dialogue. We are 100% open with each other, our partners, our vendors, and our neighbors and community. We give candid feedback to drive constant improvement. 
• Puts Family First: Our team and their families are all part of the Gold Leaf family, and we value their commitment to Gold Leaf. We create a differentiated employment experience in Ag. We treat each other with compassion and respect, compensate fairly, and build an environment where great people want to work. 
• Leads by Example: We are the change we want to see in the world. We want to farm forever, so we take care of our people, the Earth, and the communities we live and work in—setting a positive example for our neighbors and the industry. 

Compensation

The target annual salary range for this position is $130,000-$160,000 plus company equity, discretionary performance-related bonus compensation, and employer sponsored benefits package. Individual compensation may vary based on additional factors including job-related experience, skills, and/or relevant education or training.