How to apply for Representante Técnico Comercial

About Tropic

Tropic advances tropical crops' resilience and yield through genetic breeding. The company has launched its first commercial banana varieties and is scaling field operations across Latin America. This is a chance to work at the intersection of crop science and commercial adoption in a crop that is central to the region's agriculture.

About the role

As a Representante Técnico Comercial, you are the technical face of Tropic in the field. You support farmer adoption of new banana varieties, manage trial plots, collect performance data, and provide agronomic support. You do not close sales directly, but the success of each trial determines whether farmers reorder and recommend Tropic.

A typical day

A typical day might involve visiting a pilot site or commercial plantation to check on trial plots, collect data, and advise the farmer on crop management. You might also spend time analyzing data, preparing reports, and coordinating with Tropic's science team. Some days will be spent traveling between sites and building relationships with producers.

Who Tropic is looking for

• Agronomist with hands-on experience in banana production, including planting, spacing, drainage, irrigation, and early crop management.
• Strong commercial instinct: understands how farmers make decisions and can build long-term trust with producers and industry contacts.
• Genuine interest in advanced crop varieties and genetic breeding.
• Based in Costa Rica or Ecuador and willing to travel regularly to pilot sites and commercial plantations.

Tips for this application

• Highlight any direct experience with banana production, including specific tasks like spacing, drainage, irrigation installation, and early-stage crop management.
• Show that you understand the commercial side: give examples of how you have supported farmer adoption of a new product or practice, even if you were not in a sales role.
• Mention your familiarity with the Costa Rica or Ecuador banana growing regions and any existing relationships with producers or industry groups.
• Emphasize your ability to collect and manage performance data from field trials, as this is a core part of the role.
• In your CV or cover letter, use plain language to describe your field experience and avoid generic phrases about being passionate or dynamic.

What to cover in your cover letter

Focus on your banana agronomy experience and your ability to support farmers. Explain why you are interested in Tropic's genetic breeding work and how you would manage trial plots and collect data. Describe how you build trust with producers and how you see the link between trial success and repeat orders. Mention your location in Costa Rica or Ecuador and your willingness to travel.

Research before applying

• Learn about Tropic's first commercial banana varieties: what traits they offer, how they were developed, and what problems they solve for farmers.
• Understand the banana production landscape in Costa Rica and Ecuador: key growing regions, common challenges, and major producers.
• Research Tropic's genetic breeding technology and how it differs from conventional breeding.
• Find out who Tropic's competitors are in the banana variety space and what sets Tropic apart.

Likely interview topics

Based on the job description, expect questions about:

• Your experience with banana production and the specific agronomic practices mentioned in the job description.
• How you would handle a farmer who is hesitant to adopt a new variety despite positive trial data.
• Your approach to collecting and reporting performance data from field trials.
• How you would build relationships with producers and industry contacts in your territory.
• Your understanding of Tropic's breeding program and why it matters for tropical crops.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying without any banana production experience. This role requires specific agronomic knowledge of the crop.
• Focusing only on sales skills and ignoring the technical field support aspects of the job.
• Using generic language about being passionate about agriculture without providing concrete examples of field work or farmer support.