Field trials officer

Field trials officers plan and run experiments on plants and animals in the field and laboratory, supporting scientific research and development in agriculture

As a field trials officer, you may be involved in the full experiment process or focus on a specific stage, planning and monitoring the effects on animals and plants.

You'll oversee facilities and equipment, ensuring trials are conducted safely, smoothly and in line with protocols. Working closely with scientists, you’ll adapt trials to meet their needs and may also support the marketing of research projects.

The results of your work help shape agricultural development, assess product safety and provide key sales information. You’ll often be required to present findings in detailed reports or presentations.

Responsibilities

As a field trials officer, you'll need to:

• plan, design and manage trials in the field or laboratory, including preparing proposals, experiments and statistical plans
• monitor conditions and apply treatments, ensuring trials meet legislative, safety and confidentiality protocols
• collect, analyse and present data using specialist software, such as ARM, R and SAS, and produce accurate reports
• liaise with colleagues - particularly those working in research, and in technical development and work with clients and students, adapting trials to suit requirements, negotiating specifications and delivering demonstrations or presentations
• oversee research sites, including managing budgets, facilities, equipment and staff, and coordinating audits
• provide specialist advice and guidance to clients, colleagues and research partners
• ensure that work adheres to government legislation
• work to a high level of confidentiality and protocol.

Salary

• Salaries for field trials officers start in the region of £22,000 to £28,000 depending on your qualifications and relevant experience.
• Once you've been working for two or three years in the role, salaries can rise to around £35,000 to £40,000.
• With further experience, working at a more senior level, you could be earning £45,000+.

Benefits often include a pension, company car and continuing professional development (CPD) registration.

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

You'll typically work 37 to 40 hours a week, with overtime being occasionally necessary, such as in sowing and harvesting periods.

Many employers offer flexible working arrangements, though you may be required to work some set hours at certain times of the year. Seasonal contracts may be available for people in the early stages of their career.

What to expect

• Work patterns vary seasonally. For example fieldwork dominates in summer, while office or laboratory work is more common in winter. Some roles combine both year-round, requiring you to work outdoors in all weather conditions.
• Communication is important and you'll act as a link between the field and scientists or clients, with regular meetings and consultations.
• Regulation and compliance are key as the agricultural industry is tightly regulated. Paperwork and protocol checks are routine (particularly at a senior level) and clients may also require adherence to their own procedures.
• The work can be physically demanding. You may use farm machinery, work long hours outdoors and need resilience to cope with challenges such as adverse weather.
• Daily travel is frequent, and overnight stays may be required, especially in the summer months.

Qualifications

You'll typically need a degree to become a field trials officer. Relevant subjects which may be helpful include:

• agriculture
• biology or biological science
• biotechnology
• botany and plant science
• crop science
• environmental sciences
• genetics
• horticulture.

You'll also be required to hold PA1 and PA2 qualifications (safe use of pesticides), and in many cases PA6 for handheld applicators. The BASIS Certificate in Crop Protection is a widely recognised professional qualification and is often expected within the first year of employment. The FACTS Certification & Training Scheme is also valuable, particularly if your role involves nutrient management.

A relevant degree that includes a placement year in industry or other vocational element can be extremely helpful. If the subject of your degree thesis is relevant, it will also strengthen your applications.

HNDs and foundation degrees in agriculture may also be considered, particularly if combined with relevant field experience and professional qualifications such as BASIS or FACTS. In these cases, you may initially enter the sector at technician or field trials assistant level and work your way up. This route is common in larger research institutions where staff turnover is low, although progression may take more time.

Even if you begin at a lower level, a strong vocational background and professional certification can support progression to field trials officer roles.

A pre-entry postgraduate qualification is not essential, but a Masters in agriculture, crop protection or plant science can be helpful, particularly in competitive areas. Relevant Masters or PhDs may also be required for entry to senior or specialist posts.

Search postgraduate courses in agriculture.

Skills

As a field trials officer, you'll need to have:

• a knowledge of the science-based agronomy of major UK crops
• an understanding of agricultural business operations and regulatory frameworks
• strong written and communication skills
• a good level of IT literacy, because statistical information plays a key role in decision making
• confidence using specialist software and data tools, including statistical packages (e.g. R, SAS, GenStat) and increasingly GIS, remote sensing and digital crop monitoring platforms
• physical and mental stamina
• good organisational skills
• time-management skills
• enthusiasm for the work
• a driving licence - needed for most posts.

Work experience

Practical experience in farming, agriculture, field trials or plant breeding is helpful to show that you have an interest in and commitment to the sector. In some cases, if you haven't got a relevant degree, it may be essential.

Your degree may have included a placement year which as well as giving you some relevant experience, also helps you to build useful contacts for potential future jobs.

If you didn't complete a placement, you can look for vacation work or an internship elsewhere, such as with a plant breeding company/laboratory or with an agricultural or environmental consultancy. Structured industry placements are sometimes offered through professional bodies or funded initiatives such as AHDB studentships and training programmes. Graduate schemes run by agronomy, crop protection and agri-tech companies can also provide an entry route.

Many companies take students over the summer, especially during harvesting, and posts are usually advertised on individual company websites. You can also make speculative applications to local farms to ask if they have work opportunities. Anything dealing with different types of machinery and a variety of crops will be useful. Larger farms and agricultural businesses sometimes run structured work experience schemes, which may include accommodation.

If you can find any opportunity to get involved in field trials this will be highly relevant and may provide you with useful contacts within the agricultural industry. Volunteering or short-term work on research projects, sustainability initiatives or agri-tech innovation centres can also strengthen your applications.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Employers

This is a niche area of employment and competition for vacancies can be strong. However there are opportunities for those with the right degree and experience.

Typical employers include public research institutes and their associated research centres, such as:

• ADAS
• UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), including its councils such as the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)
• Harper Adams University
• The James Hutton Institute
• National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB)
• Rothamsted Research
• Scotland's Rural College (SRUC)

In the private sector, opportunities exist with:

• environmental research consultancies
• companies that develop new crops
• specialist companies that provide trial development and analysis services for the farming sector
• producers of chemicals such as herbicides, pesticides and fertilisers
• pharmaceutical producers
• food production and processing companies
• agri-tech and precision agriculture companies, including those focused on digital crop monitoring, remote sensing, sustainable farming and climate resilience.

Look for job vacancies at:

• Farmers Weekly
• Jobs in Agriculture - Farmers Guardian
• Nature Careers - includes international jobs
• NewScientist Jobs

Specialist agricultural recruitment consultants such as Agricultural Recruitment Specialists and De Lacy Executive handle vacancies.

You can get useful careers and industry information from the Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC) and the Cereals Event. Both may also help to build industry contacts.

Professional development

Training is mainly done on the job, often with the support of more experienced colleagues. Some employers provide in-house training in areas such as report writing and presentation and communication skills.

Being trained in the use of specialist statistics software such as QuickTrials, Agmatix or Agronomics is important, and field trials officers are also increasingly using remote sensing tools as well.

You may also be trained in key practical skills, such as:

• handling machinery
• first aid
• health and safety procedures
• laboratory techniques.

Knowledge of safe working practices and the ability to prevent adverse effects on plants and wildlife in trial areas is essential. As each project varies, you'll be constantly learning new techniques.

It's vital that you continually update your knowledge and skills as part of your CPD. This is particularly important as your work is based in constantly evolving sectors, with ongoing development in research methods and legislation. Registering as a member with BASIS will help you demonstrate that you have competency and up to date experience in the agriculture, horticulture and amenity pesticide sectors.

Career prospects

It's usual to progress from a field trials assistant, or assistant agronomist, to working as a field trials officer. From here, you can progress further into the role of head of field trials, field trials manager or agronomist.

After this, career development is usually internal, moving into supervisory or executive positions away from day-to-day trials work.

With experience, you may progress into research management, business development, regulatory affairs or sustainability-focused roles.

In industry, it's possible to move into positions of greater responsibility within a trials company, taking on management or commercial roles, or moving into sales, product development or technical support in the UK or overseas.

There is also increasing demand for professionals who can combine agronomic knowledge with data analysis, GIS, remote sensing and digital crop modelling. This opens opportunities in agri-tech companies, precision agriculture, and consultancy roles advising on climate resilience, food security and sustainable farming practices.