About Us

We’re a full-scale, energy-saving, B-Corp certified, sustainably powered vertical farm. We’re on a mission to transform the farming system forever, so that everyone can afford tasty nutritious food, that doesn’t cost the earth. Literally.

In other words: we boldly grow where no one has grown before. Our state-of-the-art salad leaves are made possible by an incredible team of rocket scientists (see what we did there?), engineers, leaf whisperers, and a root network of fabulous people. Which brings us onto The Leaf Lab…

The Leaf Lab and Pepperness

The Leaf Lab, located just outside Cambridge, is home to our Innovative R&D activities. At the Leaf Lab, we are on a mission to constantly improve how we grow plants for existing customers alongside identifying ways to grow new varieties that solve genuine customer problems. We look at all elements of the production process, from varietal screening, seed treatments and substrate optimisation through to how we handle our products after they have been packed. We ensure we give our customers the best possible outcomes with the lowest environmental impact.

Pepperness is our main production site, where the majority of this role will be based. It is where we produce our salad leaves in our highly controlled growing chambers and where we leverage our expertise and experience in controlled environment agronomy. It is also the place where we collect data from the operational ‘living lab’ and run near-to-implementation trials on technology intended to improve growing and operational efficiency or validate assumptions about different ways of operating our systems.

The Leaf Lab team has the following values:

Explore: Finding the world’s best plants

We believe the world's best plants are the key to unlocking a sustainable and vibrant future. We want to find the best way to grow plants that solve real-world problems, improve lives, and protect our planet.

Innovate: Leading the world in plant science

At the forefront of plant science, our team is dedicated to developing innovative solutions that harness the power of the world's most exceptional plants. Join us as we find innovative and creative ways to lead the way in sustainable agriculture, creating a brighter future for our planet and its inhabitants.

Collaborate: Changing the world through teamwork

To go fast, you go alone; to go far, you go together. To do great things, you need to work with great people and great teamwork is at the core. We value the ability to work independently rather than being a team player.

Create: Bringing to life the future of growing

We are committed to delivering innovative solutions. We take ground-breaking ideas and turn them into real-world solutions, revolutionising the future of growing.

Role

This role is focused on implementing cross-departmental trials at our production site ‘Pepperness’ (farm) near Sandwich, Kent under the guidance of the Head of Crop Optimisation and working under the supervision of the Farm Trials Coordinator. This is an opportunity to have a significant impact on the future of crop production by delivering world-class applied research and development in the exciting field of vertical farming.

You will work with the grower manager and the agronomy team, NPD team, operations and technical teams to ensure efficient delivery of trials in a fast-paced and dynamic environment. We’re looking for somebody with exceptional enthusiasm and a can-do attitude, with experience in, or knowledge of horticultural or food production environments, who can help us on our mission to be the best controlled environment growers in the world.

On a given day, you will spend time setting up trial resources, sometimes with external partners, collecting data, keeping accurate trial records and maintaining scientific equipment and resources. You will also be occasionally collecting data in our growing chambers – so we hope you are happy at heights!