Job Title:Plant Pathologist(Proficient in Reading, Writing & Speaking in Odiya)

Experience: 2-5 Years

Work Location: Hyderabad

Job Type: Fulltime

Position Overview:

An Agricultural Pathologist is responsible for studying plant diseases and disorders that affect agricultural crops, trees, and other plants. They investigate the causes, symptoms, and mechanisms of plant diseases, develop strategies for disease management and prevention, and provide recommendations to farmers, agricultural stakeholders, and researchers to mitigate the impact of plant pathogens on crop production and plant health. This role involves interpreting weather data, providing forecasts, and offering recommendations to optimize crop management strategies. Overall, an Agricultural Pathologist plays a critical role in safeguarding agricultural crops and plant health, contributing to sustainable agriculture and food security worldwide.

Responsibilities:

Disease Diagnosis: Identify and diagnose plant diseases primarily through field-level visual assessment, symptomatology, and pattern recognition. Utilize digital tools, image datasets, and historical records for disease identification instead of laboratory or molecular techniques.
Weather Data Analysis: Collect, process, and analyze meteorological data (temperature, rainfall, relative humidity, wind speed, solar radiation) to assess their influence on pest and disease development. Integrate real-time and forecast data for agro-advisory purposes.
Forecasting: Develop and implement rule-based and data-driven forecasting systems linking weather parameters with pest and disease occurrence. Generate short-term and medium-range advisories for likely outbreaks based on climatic thresholds and crop stage.
Disease Surveillance: Monitor crop health through field observations, farmer inputs, and digital reporting systems. Analyze spatial and temporal trends of pest and disease incidence to support advisory generation.
Pathogen Identification: Interpret pest and disease occurrence based on established biological knowledge, life cycles, and environmental requirements without conducting laboratory isolation or molecular characterization.
Disease Epidemiology: Analyze interactions between weather variables, crop growth stages, and pest/disease dynamics. Develop location-specific risk windows and epidemiological models for advisory systems.
Disease Management: Design and deliver integrated disease and pest management recommendations based on forecast outputs. Focus on preventive and climate-resilient practices including cultural, chemical, and biological measures aligned with field conditions.
Extension and Advisory: Translate technical insights into actionable advisories for farmers. Develop structured recommendations for mobile applications, dashboards, and field dissemination channels.
Collaboration: Collaborate with data scientists, software teams, and agronomists to develop and refine climate-based advisory systems. Contribute domain expertise for model development, validation, and continuous improvement.

Required Skills & Qualifications:

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Plant Pathology, Agricultural Science, or a related field.
Strong understanding of plant pathology principles, disease epidemiology, and plant–environment interactions.
Good knowledge of weather parameters (temperature, rainfall, relative humidity, wind, solar radiation) and their influence on pest and disease development.
Ability to interpret meteorological data and relate it to crop stages and pest/disease risk.
Familiarity with climate-based pest and disease forecasting approaches (rule-based/threshold models).
Basic understanding of data analysis, including use of spreadsheets and handling agro-meteorological datasets.
Exposure to statistical methods, remote sensing, and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) is advantageous.
2–5 years experience in plant health monitoring, agro-advisory services, or agricultural extension.
Field-level knowledge of major crop pests and diseases and their symptomatology.
Ability to analyze and interpret field observations, weather data, and historical trends for advisory generation.
Experience in developing or supporting pest and disease advisories is preferred.
Strong written and verbal communication skills for translating technical insights into farmer-friendly recommendations.
Ability to work in cross-functional teams (agronomy, data, and technology).
Problem-solving approach with focus on practical, scalable, and climate-resilient solutions.

What We Offer:

Competitive salary and benefits package.
Opportunities for professional development and ongoing education.
A collaborative and innovative work environment with the chance to impact sustainable agriculture.
Access to cutting-edge research tools and technologies.
The opportunity to work on projects that address global challenges in pest management and sustainable agriculture.

Work Culture at Niruthi

At Niruthi, our inclusive and cooperative culture thrives on the diversity of our team members. We embrace our unique backgrounds, value and support each other's viewpoints, and foster an environment of learning, camaraderie, and growth. With our shared passion, unwavering dedication to our mission, and a mindset focused on growth and innovation, we are the change-makers of today and the pioneers of tomorrow.

When you work at Niruthi, you will –

Strive to accomplish outstanding work each day
Challenge limits to be successful
Aim for continuous improvement
Avoid complacency and embrace risks
Envision the innovative methodologies
Drive progress on a global scale
Become a catalyst for change

Additionally:

We provide you with empowerment, trust in your abilities to deliver, and facilitate the realization of your ideas
We believe in nurturing from within rather than seeking external sources to elevate individuals
We strategize for mutual growth, nurturing your talents to unlock your full potential
We extend our care to you, your dear ones, and your overall physical and mental wellness
We celebrate triumphs and setbacks. We celebrate each small stride taken towards realizing our shared vision
Challenges and obstacles affect every individual. We foster collaboration to tackle these issues collectively

Digital Content Associate, Editorial, Writing, & Content Management

Plant Pathologist (Proficient in Reading, Writing & Speaking in Odiya)