Field Data Specialist- Agriculture

Position: Field Data Specialist- 2025 Summer season (mid May-Aug 1)

Contract role, 100% travel

Location: Open. Ideally located in mid-west, or major cropping region of the country

About us

Blue River Technology serves the agricultural industry by designing and building advanced farm machines that utilize computer vision and machine learning to enable farmers to understand and manage every plant. These machines help farmers improve profitability, protect the environment by reducing pesticide use, and capture valuable plant-by-plant data. Blue River is a pioneer in the agricultural robotics space and has developed the See & Spray precision sprayer, which applies herbicide only where needed, and can reduce herbicide use by 90%. Blue River also leads the development of autonomous systems for John Deere. 

John Deere & Company, with over 180 years of experience in designing, manufacturing, and distributing innovative products to farmers, acquired Blue River Technology in the fall of 2017 as an independently run subsidiary. In partnership with John Deere, Blue River has expanded rapidly, and together, both companies see many opportunities to apply advanced computer vision, machine learning, and robotics technologies to areas in agriculture beyond spraying.

Our office is located in Santa Clara, CA, with satellite offices in San Francisco and Austin, TX, and is home to 300+ team members with diverse experience, including computer vision, machine learning, systems software, autonomous vehicles, and precision agriculture. Our working environment is fast paced and highly collaborative, and employees are excited to use their talents to improve food production and protect the environment.

Position Summary

Blue River’s Field Operations team is seeking several Data Capture Specialists to provide seasonal support onsite at various grower sites throughout the Midwestern and Southern United States. This work will be approximately 3 months (May-July) in duration and will require a mix of agriculture, basic farming knowledge, and basic technology / software experience.  Opportunities for continued employment may be available for the right candidate.  

This is an exciting opportunity to support field data collection and work with cutting edge agricultural technology while gaining valuable experience within our Artificial Intelligence and Computer Vision groups that develop our See & Spray technology

Role Responsibilities:

• Responsible for the daily collection of field data in various grower site locations and assigned regions; traveling between sites for scheduled data capture in partnership with grower cooperators
• Provide accurate data collection and tracking on a daily basis, utilizing software 
• Ensure quality image captures are completed as per test plan requirements
• Complete consistent, and timely transmission of data to centralized repository for utilization by various Blue River teams
• Effectively manage daily / weekly work schedule, accounting for travel time and weather variables, to maximize productivity
• Maintain and operate equipment with a high degree of attention to safety and care of equipment 
• Represent Blue River and John Deere professionally, exhibiting great customer service and exemplary personal conduct

Required Skills & Experience:

• Experience within agricultural operations with basic agronomic knowledge
• Able to lift and carry up to 40 lbs.; capable of working in physically demanding grower site locations for extended periods of time
• Capable of using an interactive touch screen to set values, enter information via keyboard, and follow a series of steps by memory to set the machine requirements
• Familiarity with Windows software for data management, e.g., Microsoft Excel 
• Ability to work very autonomously; capable of completing work with little to no direct supervision while meeting project timelines
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; fluent English speaker and writer 
• Strong customer support and teamwork skills; able to represent both Blue River Technology and John Deere in a professional manner at all times
• Able to travel extensively between job locations across the U.S.; air travel, vehicle, lodging and meals will be paid or compensated by Blue River
• Available Monday through Saturday for 8-10 hours daily; this includes travel time to and from job sites. Optional Sunday availability may be needed in certain circumstances

Preferred Skills & Experience:

• Experience in capturing / recording imagery data
• Experience or knowledge of precision agriculture equipment

This position is a full time temporary, non-exempt role and is not eligible for sponsorship or third party employment. Compensation is hourly ($20-25 depending on experience) and significant overtime opportunities may exist. 

We are committed to building a diverse team and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds.