Cereals DUS Technical Specialist - Amelie Anderton

Amelie Anderton

Your role at Niab

My role has evolved significantly since I joined Niab in 2024. I am a Cereals DUS Technical Specialist within the Crop Characterisation department, and I have recently taken on an additional position as a Trials Coordinator within Niab’s Regional Trials department.

Working in DUS, our team is responsible for evaluating new plant varieties in field trials to confirm they are Distinct, Uniform, and Stable. I assess the physical characteristics of plants to identify and describe new varieties. These skills are applied across both DUS testing and Seed certification, which we deliver on behalf of APHA for National Listing and Plant Breeders’ Rights. 

Alongside this, I now coordinate commercial trials across cereals and oilseed rape, covering fungicide, insecticide, nutrition and PGR programmes, as well as OSR variety trials. My responsibilities included placing and planning trials, liaising with customers, managing contracts, and supporting our trials teams across the country to deliver high‑quality trials. 

Trials, in all their forms, underpin much of the work we do at Niab, and I am proud to contribute to them. I feel fortunate to be involved in every stage across my merged role, from planning and drilling through to assessments and harvest. 

Your previous experience

I joined Niab as a temporary trials technician for DUS winter oilseed rape trials while I was still finishing my degree. With no prior background in farming or agriculture, let alone plot‑based trials, this role provided a steep but rewarding learning curve. After a summer of crawling through oilseed rape, picking pods and measuring heights, I landed my current role as a DUS technical specialist. 

Before this, I was working towards a career in pharmaceuticals but after a summer doing plot work at Niab, I quickly realised that this was the path for me!

Your qualifications

  • BSc (Hons) Biology – University of Bath
  • Licensed Crop Inspector of Cereals, Fodder & Oilseeds, Pulses, and Herbage

Your future 

I look forward to continuing my career progression here at Niab. Already my role has shifted so much and I am excited to see where upcoming opportunities will take me next. I aim to deepen my knowledge of UK agriculture during these changing times and continue contributing to Niab’s work.