Graduate - Agronomy

Overview:

At Costa, we're focused on helping feed a growing population through innovation, sustainability and world-class fresh produce. As Australia's leading grower, packer and marketer of fresh fruit and vegetables, we combine scientific knowledge, practical farming expertise and continuous improvement to grow premium produce enjoyed by customers across Australia and around the world.

Costa's Citrus business is committed to producing healthy, high-performing crops while continually improving fruit quality, productivity and environmental sustainability. Agronomy plays a critical role in achieving these outcomes through informed decision-making, innovation and a deep understanding of crop performance.

We are seeking a motivated graduate to join our Citrus team in Emerald, Queensland. Emerald offers the best of both worlds. You'll gain hands-on experience within one of Costa's established citrus operations while becoming part of a welcoming regional community. It's a place where graduates can take on meaningful responsibility, develop technical expertise and build long-term careers in agriculture.

This is a permanent full-time graduate opportunity where you'll combine structured development with practical experience across crop production, irrigation, nutrition, pest and disease management, agronomic trials and continuous improvement activities.

Working alongside experienced agronomists and farm leaders, you'll gain exposure to the decisions, observations and technical expertise that influence crop performance, fruit quality and sustainable production outcomes.

This is an exciting opportunity to launch your career in an environment where science, innovation and sustainable farming practices contribute directly to crop performance while developing the skills, experience and credibility needed to build a long-term career within Costa.

About this position:

As a Graduate - Agronomy, you'll build experience across crop production, agronomic programs and technical field-based activities while developing a practical understanding of how high-performing citrus crops are grown and managed.

One day you may be monitoring crop health, irrigation performance or pest management activities, while another may involve supporting field trials, analysing crop data or working alongside agronomists to evaluate production outcomes. This variety provides valuable exposure to the science and decision-making that underpin successful horticultural production.

You will gain exposure to:

• Crop production and agronomic management practices
• Irrigation, nutrition and soil management
• Pest, disease and crop health monitoring
• Agronomic field trials and innovation projects
• Data collection, analysis and crop forecasting
• Fruit quality and harvest planning activities
• Sustainable farming practices and continuous improvement initiatives
• Cross-functional collaboration across Agronomy, Farm Operations and Technical teams
• Practical decision-making within a large-scale horticultural business

Why Join Us?

We care for our people. People are the heart of Costa. Our employees enjoy some of the best benefits and conditions in the industry. From competitive pay to health, wellbeing and further learning and development opportunities. No matter the role, you'll always benefit from a caring environment that encourages and supports you to thrive, grow and connect.

As a graduate with Costa, you'll automatically be enrolled in our Graduate Development Program, designed to develop future leaders and innovators across our business. You'll gain exposure to senior leaders, technical experts and fellow graduates while building practical skills in a real-world agricultural environment.

You'll also benefit from:

• Structured graduate development and leadership training
• Exposure to large-scale citrus production and agronomic programs
• Mentoring from experienced agronomists and technical specialists
• Hands-on involvement in crop performance and innovation initiatives
• Practical experience with agronomic trials and field-based decision-making
• Exposure to sustainable farming and production practices
• Meaningful work that contributes to the future of Australian food production
• A pathway to build a long-term career within Costa

About you:

We're looking for graduates who are curious, analytical and motivated to understand how science and innovation contribute to successful crop production. You may have recently completed (or be in your final year of) a degree in:

• Agricultural Science
• Horticulture
• Agribusiness
• Plant Science
• Environmental Science
• Ecology
• Or a related discipline

You will also:

• Demonstrate strong communication and relationship-building skills
• Have strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities
• Show initiative and a continuous improvement mindset
• Be comfortable working in a dynamic outdoor and field-based environment
• Be eager to learn and develop within an agronomic setting
• Work collaboratively across teams and functions
• Be interested in crop performance, agronomy and agricultural innovation
• Hold a current unrestricted Australian driver's licence
• Have full Australian working rights
• Be willing to travel between farms and operational sites as required.

We are seeking people who can demonstrate Costa's core values: Determination, Accountability, Passion, Respect and Sincerity.

Program Timing and Process:

Accessibility and Inclusion: At Costa, we value diversity and are committed to providing an inclusive recruitment experience. If you require any adjustments or support throughout the application, assessment or interview process, please let us know. We're happy to work with you to ensure you have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, experience and potential.

Applications for the 2027 Graduate Intake close on September 16, 2026, with an anticipated start date of February 8, 2027. The selection process will consist of application questions, video submissions, psychometric assessments and interviews (virtual or in person).