R&D Scientist – Soil Science & Plant-Soil Dynamics

R&D Scientist – Soil Ecology & Formulation

Company: MiON Forest

Location: Field Sites across Korea / Canada (On-site / Lab & Greenhouse / Field)

Employment Type: Full-time

Visa Sponsorship: Available (Work visa support provided for qualified international candidates)

🚀 About MiON Forest

At MiON Forest, we are pioneering the future of ecological restoration with scalable, high-impact climate-tech solutions. We believe true reforestation goes beyond scattering seeds. Instead, we deploy proprietary, biodegradable seedling pods carrying live containerized tree seedlings, delivered with precision via heavy-payload autonomous drone platforms into wildfire-ravaged terrains, degraded slopes, and difficult-to-reach landscapes.

Backed by top-tier climate programs and public-private innovation initiatives, we are looking for a world-class Senior R&D Scientist to lead the formulation chemistry and soil ecology engineering behind our next-generation MiON Pot.

🎯 The Role & Mission

In this role, you will be the core scientific driver behind our proprietary MiON Pot formulation. You will develop, test, and optimize customized multi-component substrates.

Your mission is to engineer a resilient, micro-ecological "safe haven" directly into the seedling root zone (rhizosphere), maximizing survival and early root vigor under extreme abiotic stress (drought, fire ash toxicity, nutrient deficiency).

🛠 Key Responsibilities

• Substrate & Formulation Development: Formulate, test, and optimize volumetric ratios of live/inactivated microbial inoculants, functional biostimulants, and plant-based hydrogels tailored for tree seedling rhizosphere conditioning.
• Controlled Environment Trials (Growth Chamber & Greenhouse): Design and execute rigorous pot and bench-scale greenhouse experiments to assess moisture retention kinetics, nutrient availability, microbial colonization, and root/shoot biomass dynamics.
• Field-Scale Validation: Oversee and conduct rigorous field trials at official restoration testbeds in South Korea (e.g., wildfire recovery sites and afforestation failure zones). Monitor environmental variables and long-term seedling survivability.
• Microbial-Carrier Optimization: Develop pre-inoculation and loading processes to stabilize active microbial agents (Bacillus spp.) within porous biochar matrices.
• Data Synthesis & IP/Grant Writing: Perform advanced statistical analysis (R, SAS, Python, or SPSS), document reproducible standard operating procedures (SOPs), support patent filings, and contribute technical sections for government R&D grants and international projects.

🎓 Qualifications

• Education: Master’s degree (M.Sc.) or Ph.D. in Soil Science, Forestry, Plant Physiology, Agronomy, Soil Microbiology, Applied Ecological Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Experimental Expertise: Proven track record in experimental design (e.g., randomized complete block designs, factorial experiments) and execution in growth chambers, greenhouses, or agricultural/forestry field plots.
• Technical Knowledge: Strong understanding of plant-soil-microbe interactions, rhizosphere dynamics, and physical/chemical soil property analysis.
• Data Proficiency: Solid statistical data analysis capabilities (ANOVA, regression, multivariate analysis).
• Communication & Location:
• Fluent in English (professional proficiency in written and verbal scientific communication).
• Must be willing and able to relocate and work on-site in South Korea / Canada to run hands-on lab, greenhouse, and field experiments.

🌟 Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D. with postdoctoral or 3+ years of relevant industry/institute R&D experience.
• Hands-on experience working with biochar, bio-stimulants, and microbial inoculants.
• Prior participation in national or international competitive R&D projects and patent preparation.
• Fast-paced startup mindset: comfortable with scientific agility, iterative prototyping, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Conversational Korean language skills are a plus, but not required.

💼 What We Offer

• Visa Sponsorship & Relocation Support: Full visa sponsorship (E-3 Research / E-7 Professional or relevant work permits) for qualified international researchers.
• Real-World Impact: Your scientific formulations will be deployed via autonomous heavy-lift drones directly onto degraded forest ecosystems, seeing immediate ecological outcomes.
• Research Autonomy & Resources: High ownership over experimental design, direct collaboration with top-tier academic advisory networks, and access to dedicated testbed sites.
• Competitive Compensation & Growth: Competitive salary with performance incentives and opportunities to grow into senior leadership as our R&D expands globally (after a probation period).

📩 How to Apply

• Please submit your Curriculum Vitae (CV), a brief Cover Letter / Statement of Research Interests, and a list of key publications or project portfolios via LinkedIn Easy Apply or directly to: sk@mionscience.com