Plant breeding assistant - Corindi

Costa is Australia’s leading grower, packer and marketer of premium quality fresh fruit and vegetables.  We nurture our people, cultivate our growing sites and invest in ongoing research and development. 

All the products we grow, and sell are fresh, nutritious, unprocessed and grown on our very own farms or those of our partner growers.

The Costa Berry Category is at the forefront of genetic growing and innovation. We export to some of the most demanding markets in the world, so food safety is paramount.  In all that we grow, we are committed to sustainable production and growing.

People are at the heart of the Costa business and across our regions we are a major employer with more than 6,000 workers during our peak seasons.

This is a hands-on role located at our Corindi farm, suited to someone flexible, detail-focused and comfortable moving between field, lab and the nursery team to meet seasonal needs.

Successful candidates will be employed on a casual basis with regular rostered shifts Monday - Friday

Key responsibilities

This role provides hands-on support across harvest, phenotyping, laboratory, nursery, and operational activities within a breeding and research program. The position plays a key part in data quality, sample integrity, and smooth day‑to‑day operations, while also supporting and supervising harvest and field teams as required. 

What We Offer

• Casual role (June 2026 to January 2027)
• Training and mentoring provided
• Opportunity to build skills across data collection, phenotyping, laboratory work, propagation, irrigation, and field operations
• Friendly, supportive team with a strong international culture
• Opportunity to work alongside Australia’s leading breeding program

Key Responsibilities

• Supervise daily harvest activities to meet WHS, quality, and productivity standards 
• Support harvest planning, block/plot setup, tagging, and harvest preparation in collaboration with Operations and Laboratory staff 
• Ensure accurate electronic field data capture (yield, sample tracking, phenotyping records) 
• Monitor harvest equipment (scanners, printers, punnets, devices) and report faults promptly 
• Conduct harvest sample collection and oversee quality control of harvested materials 
• Conduct objective and subjective assessments of fruit and plant traits 
• Perform in-field evaluations, flagging, and trial observations 
• Manage, maintain, and calibrate phenotyping and data collection equipment 
• Receive, organise, and log laboratory samples for analysis 
• Prepare and analyse samples within required holding times 
• Load samples onto laboratory instruments and assist with retention processes 
• Maintain accurate laboratory records, logs, and system entries 
• Clean, store, and maintain laboratory glassware and specialised equipment 

 Other activities may include  

• Assist with cross-pollinations, including pollen collection and pollination trials as indicated by breeders
• Assist plant breeding nursery manager with plant propagation via cuttings and seed 
• Perform nursery tasks including potting, planting, pruning, watering, and stock movement 
• Support nursery inventory tracking and record keeping 
  

Skills and Experience

• Strong communication skills
• Comfortable working with tools such as Excel, Power BI, and iForms to support project reporting 
• High attention to detail and strong observation skills 
• Ability to prioritise tasks and meet tight deadlines 
• Clear and respectful communicator who follows procedures 
• Confident identifying errors and escalating non-compliances 
• Strong safety mindset with demonstrated safe work practices
• Physically fit and comfortable working in the field (walking rows and checking fruit throughout the day)
• Current drivers licence
• Values Centric: Showcase values-based behaviour in all aspects of work, with a strong focus on safety, integrity, collaboration, and commitment. Learn more about Costa Values here: https://costagroup.com.au/about-us/#brand-pillars

Ready to shape the future of farming with us? Please submit your CV  for this position by clicking on the 'Apply' link.  We deal with a high volume of applications and your patience is appreciated. Please note only short-listed applicants will be contacted. 

Interested in learning more about Costa? Visit our website to find out more www.costagroup.com.au

Apply now

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