Livestock Trials & Validation Lead
Application Deadline: 31 May 2026
Department: Test, Trial & Demonstration
Employment Type: Permanent - Full Time
Location: Field
Compensation: £48,000 - £58,000 / year
Description
Job purpose
- Development, management and delivery of livestock trials and technology validation activities
- Support agri-tech business growth and agri-tech product adoption via the generation of trusted data, evidence and information from The UK Agri-Tech Centre facilities.
- Support the development and delivery of a range of The UK Agri-Tech Centre projects across the livestock sector
Team purpose
- Helping innovative businesses test and validate their technologies in real world environments.
- Generate the data and information to demonstrate reliable performance at scale and provide the evidence needed to progress business development and growth.
- Provide relevant data information to prove relative advantage and ROI of product in operational environment.
This role is field-based, which means you’ll be travelling to client sites, partner sites and our locations as part of your day-to-day work. You may also work from your home address for a minority of the week or attend one of our sites from time to time. Our main locations are: Oxford, York, Edinburgh, Cranfield, Newport (Midlands).
Key Responsibilities
- Lead on The UK Agri-Tech Centre livestock trial and validation activities
- Ensure The UK Agri-Tech Centre platforms/test beds and trials capability for the livestock sector are functional and effective
- Ensure high quality robust livestock trials, data and evidence generation at The UK Agri-Tech Centre
- Develop and enhance livestock The UK Agri-Tech Centre Test, Trial and Validation Capability.
- Ensure relevant business KPIs, targets & programmes are met.
- Oversee trial and delivery work for the livestock sector for The UK Agri-Tech Centre.
- Deliver activities within time and budget
- Ensure The UK Agri-Tech Centre delivers commercially representative trials.
- Develop, role out and continually improve frameworks, processes and approach for data quality, protocols and evidence generation.
- Align The UK Agri-Tech Centre livestock trials and validation activities with agri-tech business commercial goals and IUK programme outcomes.
- Work with colleagues to build relationships with early adopters, value chain partners as appropriate
- Support continuous improvement within team
- Provide relevant information in a timelier and high standard to internal and external stakeholders e.g. board, IUK as required.
- Represent The UK Agri-Tech Centre and its activities to range of stakeholders
- Line management of Trials and Validation Coordinator
- Key contact point for agri-tech business, farmers/growers/supply chain relevant to sector specific testbed/platform.
What we are looking for
Essential:- Extensive technical experience of the livestock industry and systems
- Proven leadership in trials, validation or applied R&D environments.
- Experience in line management
- Experience with and involvement in programme management with multiple projects with interlinking stakeholders and priorities
- Track record in on hands experience of R&D/ innovation livestock trials in real world environments.
- Awareness of animal health & welfare relevant regulatory frameworks and HSE practices
- Ability to critically assess evidence, identify gaps, and articulate limitations clearly.
- Ability to pivot quickly to deal with new and emerging priorities.
- Effective customer/stakeholder management across a wider user base – including multi-partner projects.
- Team player, self-motivated.
- Strong communication skills to range of stakeholders.
- Excellent time management.
- Able to prioritise workload and make effective decisions at pace when required.
- Excellent IT skills and proficient with Microsoft environments.
- Full UK driving licence.
- Experience working alongside data, modelling, or measurement teams to support impact claims.
- Prior engagement with government agencies, research institutes, or industry bodies.
- Project Management Experience.
- Degree in Agriculture, Animal Science or a related field or equivalent commercial experience.
- In depth knowledge of R&D, agricultural trials.
Why join us?
You will be part of a pioneering organisation driving innovation in agri-tech, whilst working in a collaborative and forward-thinking environment. There is opportunity to grow and develop within a newly established organisation, plus a range of benefits including:
- 33 days of annual leave with flexible public holidays allocation
- Flexible working hours
- 4x salary life assurance
- EAP with 24/7 helpline and expert advice service (legal, finance, health)
- Pension salary sacrifice scheme availability
- Fees for professional membershipsOngoing training and development
If you are ready for a role that truly makes an impact - join us and be part of something meaningful. We’d love to hear from you!
