MBG Marketing is hiring a Horticulturist to join our team in Grand Junction, MI (about 30 miles northwest of Kalamazoo). In this role you will lead research, grower support, and crop production initiatives across key agriculture regions. This role is responsible for advancing horticulture practices, driving innovation in blueberries production, and delivering data-driven insights that improve crop quality, yield, and grower profitability.
MBG Marketing, also known as Michigan Blueberry Growers, is a leading agriculture cooperative dedicated to marketing and supporting high-quality blueberries grown across North America. With a strong foundation in horticulture, MBG partners with grower-members to deliver premium fruit to global markets while advancing sustainable farming practices and innovative research.
We offer competitive compensation based on experience, medical, dental, and vision insurance including mental health resources, personal and vacation time off, 401(k), bonuses, 529 savings plan, and much more.
What you will be doing:
- Design, coordinate, and execute MBG’s horticulture research programs in partnership with growers, universities, and industry stakeholders
- Develop and manage research budgets
- Evaluate new blueberries varieties for production performance and marketability
- Evaluate horticultural traits and consumer characteristics of blueberry germplasm, including post-harvest quality
- Coordinate establishment and management of experimental plots across growing regions
- Assess and recommend viable commercial varieties and production practices
- Develop and communicate crop forecasts across the Great Lakes region to internal stakeholders
- Analyze yield, quality, and production trends to identify opportunities for improvement
- Provide insights into production volume, product mix, and future planning
- Coordinate and perform pest scouting and crop monitoring services
- Oversee soil and plant sampling processes and documentation
- Develop new service offerings to enhance grower productivity and profitability
- Manage and maintain MBG’s spatial database of grower acreage and production data
- Build strong relationships with growers, researchers, and industry partners
- Lead a multidisciplinary horticulture research and education outreach program
- Provide strategic, on-farm guidance to growers across multiple regions
- Prepare and deliver technical reports and presentations
- Support 50+ grower-members across regions including the Great Lakes, New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia
- Contribute to production across more than 11,000 acres of blueberries
This job is for you if you have:
- Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, horticulture, agronomy, plant science, or related field required
- Master’s degree strongly preferred
- Minimum of five years of experience in agricultural research, data analysis, and program management
- Experience with germplasm evaluation and crop improvement methods
- Ability to obtain and maintain a commercial pesticide applicator license
- Willingness and ability to travel across multiple production regions
- Strong knowledge of research design, data collection, and statistical analysis
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office and agricultural data systems
- Familiarity with farm equipment operation and pest control application methods
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- Strong leadership and relationship-building abilities
- Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities
- Strategic thinking with a data-driven mindset
- Ability to work outdoors in diverse weather and field conditions
- Ability to walk, bend, kneel, and navigate uneven agricultural terrain
- Ability to lift and carry up to 40 pounds
- Capability to operate field equipment and collect samples
- Ability to travel frequently and drive for extended periods
