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Title Regional Technical Viticulturist
Employer Foster's Wine Estates
Employment Location Napa Area
Company Description ABOUT FOSTER’S WINE ESTATES AMERICAS:
As a premium global beverage company conducting business across 150 countries, Foster's offers an exciting and diverse portfolio of career opportunities. Our people are innovative, passionate and energetic - working as one team with one high-performance culture.

Foster's is committed to creating an 'inspiring workplace' which attracts and retains highly skilled people. At Foster’s, we recognize and value employee diversity.
Don't let this great opportunity to work with a dynamic and energetic group of individuals pass you by, please apply now! EEO/AAP.

Type Full Time
Pay Scale Competitive
Employment Start Date 12/1/09
Job Description Primary Purpose of Role:
To address the technical viticultural needs of the Napa vineyards by identifying, implementing and monitoring vineyard R & D programs.

Key Relationships
Internal

• Director, Technical Viticulture and Grower Relations
• Director, Vineyard Operations
• Director, Napa Vineyards Operations
• Viticulturist
• Viticultural Assistants
• Vineyard Managers
• Vineyard Foreman & Operators
• Winemakers
• Grower Relations Team
External
• Viticultural Research and Development Organisations
• Government Agencies
• Grape Grower Association Technical Committees
• Suppliers and service providers allied to grape growing
• Viticultural Industry Bodies

Key Decision Making in this Role:
• Continuous improvement of technical processes, vineyard management and technologies
• Determine Napa Valley technical priorities and implement projects
• Effective methods for the implementation and adoption of the Technical Viticulture program
• Yield targeting including forecasting and crop level regulation recommendations
• Fruit quality enhancing techniques (e.g. Farm plan development, block targeting, irrigation schedules, fruit/shoot thinning)
• Pest and disease severity assessments and control recommendations
• Grading of grapes in the field

Key Responsibilities/ Accountabilities:

1. Identify viticultural challenges, needs and opportunities across all internal vineyards in the Napa Valley
2. Implement, monitor and provide feedback on vineyard enhancement programs in alignment with the technical viticulture framework
3. Provide technical viticultural support/training/extension to company vineyards and Grower Relations team.
4. Ensure technical programs are scientifically robust and respond to seasonal/general vineyard trouble shooting issues
5. Conduct project work in areas as directed by Director, Technical Viticulture and Grower Relations
6. Ensure management of these projects is clearly identified, and project plans detailed and approved before any work is undertaken
7. Ensure vineyard buy-in to technical program, recommendations and outcomes.
8. Assist vineyard operations team on technical matters including grape quality standards, variety and clonal evaluation, chemical usage and vineyard practices
9. Establish working relationships with appropriate industry organisations and research institutions that represent and advance the viticultural interests of FWEA
10. Liaise and collaborate with approved external regional research and development projects.
11. Report monthly and seasonally to the Director of Technical Viticulture the activities, regional results and projects that have been undertaken
12. Attend appropriate industry seminars, conferences and meetings and disseminate key information to appropriate stakeholders.
13. Conduct and record field inspections with winemakers for final grading to ensure maximum end use potential of fruit and efficient batching and streaming of fruit deliveries during vintage

Key Challenges in Achieving Goal(s): (What are the key challenges faced by this role in meeting it’s goals/objectives)
• Ensuring technical quality control is in place as an influencer rather than a direct manager
• Capacity to report and interpret accurate technical information (e.g. yield estimates/disease severity) in very short timeframes
• Competency to present valuable and functional conclusions from project work
• To source and develop appropriate technical recommendations to address and solve viticultural problems
• Actively track current viticultural research and development
• Effective project leadership
• Accurately predicting the potential end use and wine grade from field assessments
• Management of time and work efficiencies during vintage

Qualifications and Experience:
• Tertiary Qualifications in Viticulture or related field

Experience:
• Experience Viticulture/Horticulture crop production
• Experience in Human Resource management / extension
• An open, receptive attitude to new ideas and techniques
• 3 years experience in viticulture research, production and/or grower relations
• Good communication and conflict resolution
• Liaison and organisational skills
• Advanced computer skills in application software

WORK ENVIRONMENT:
The physical demands described below are representative to successfully perform the essential job functions. The following percentages are given in terms of an eight-hour workday. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job,
• The employee is required to sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.
• The employee frequently is required to stand and walk.
• The employee is required to climb or balance and stoop, kneel, or crouch.
• The employee must regularly lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and rarely lift and/or move up to 45 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
• Must have normal night vision and be able to navigate in the dark.
• The position requires working outside in all weather conditions, exposure to extreme heat and cold in some cases.
• Complete mobility (walking, bending, and stretching) in the vineyard on uneven terrain.
• Office related tasks include sitting at a desk, using computer based technology.
• Extensive driving required between ranches.
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
Contact Info TO APPLY:
If you are interested in this position please apply online. Go to http://searchjobs.fweacareers.com/ to submit your resume and please include your salary requirements.

No relocation assistance is available for this position. No recruiters or phone calls, please.

Contact Address 610 Airpark Road
Napa, CA 94558
Contact Website http://www.fweacareers.com
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