Pedro Ramirez

Pre-Commercial Crop Protection Field Trials

• Executed field trials at FMC’s Madera location, focusing on crop protection.
• Collaborated with station managers to establish trial plots and collect data.
• Maintained equipment to ensure the accuracy and reliability of field trials.

Field Trial Support & Plot Maintenance

• Designed and flagged small-plot field experiments.
• Calibrated backpack sprayers and performed routine equipment maintenance (e.g., cleaning nozzles, checking pressure gauges).
• Managed plot maintenance tasks including planting, cultivating, irrigating, disking, and mowing.

Initial Analysis

• Collected daily trial data: plant health, insect counts, and environmental readings (soil moisture, temperature).
• Entered data into Excel templates and assisted in creating pivot tables to analyze treatment vs. control performance.

Spraying & Application

• Measured, mixed, and applied insecticides, fungicides, and herbicides under field station manager supervision.
• Calibrated backpack sprayers for accurate application rates.
• Followed FMC’s SOPs for chemical handling, ensuring zero-spill record and proper PPE use.
• Monitored spray nozzles and pressure gauges daily, reporting equipment malfunctions for timely repairs.

Data Collection & Quality Control

• Led data collection workflows, recording plant health ratings, insect trap counts, and environmental readings (soil moisture, air temperature) daily.

Safety & Compliance

• Adhered to FMC’s corporate safety guidelines, wearing PPE (chemical-resistant gloves, goggles) during spraying and mixing.
• Attended weekly safety meetings and reviewed the station’s Safety Data Sheet (SDS) binder for each spray.

• Conducted random samples during early morning to optimize grape harvesting efficiency.
• Monitored sugar levels with refractometer, ensuring fruit quality and readiness for harvest.
• Maintained accurate data on harvest conditions by recording weekly vineyard samples.
• Operated and maintained grape processing equipment, including crush machine and pumps.
• Recorded daily sugar levels and temperature checks to monitor fermentation processes.
• Collaborated with winemaking team to manage cellar operations and fermentation adjustments.
• Performed regular quality checks on grapes and wine, utilizing lab reports for detailed analysis.
• Followed Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)