Hiring | Ornata: Building the Future of Autonomous Farming with Josh Tepper & Michael Webb
Humans of AgricultureShow Notes
In this episode of Humans of Agriculture, Oli Le Lievre sits down with Josh Tepper, CEO, and Michael Webb, COO and co-founders of Ornata Technologies, to explore how they're transforming farm operations through autonomous machinery and why now is an exciting time to join their growing team.
Following their appearance at evokeAG, Josh and Michael share how Ornata has evolved from launching its first commercial customers to building strong momentum across Victoria. They discuss their unique approach to autonomy, where experienced remote operators work alongside autonomous machinery to deliver the benefits of automation without adding complexity for farmers or requiring them to replace the equipment they already own.
The conversation also provides an inside look at the newly created Area Sales Manager role across Victoria and Southern New South Wales. Josh and Michael explain why this is much more than a sales position. It is an opportunity to build trusted relationships with farmers, understand their operations, demonstrate the technology in the field, and help producers solve one of agriculture's biggest challenges, finding skilled labour.
Whether you're passionate about agriculture, technology or helping farmers adopt new innovations, this episode offers a genuine insight into life inside one of Australia's most exciting agtech startups. Josh and Michael explain what success looks like, why trust sits at the centre of every customer relationship, and how joining Ornata today offers the chance to grow alongside a business shaping the future of Australian agriculture.
To learn more about Ornata Technologies and the Area Sales Manager opportunity, visit the Humans of Agriculture careers page.
The role is live now, and we'd love to hear from people who are ready to help bring the next generation of autonomous farming technology to Australian agriculture.
Key insights from the conversation: How Ornata has progressed from its first commercial deployments to a growing customer base. Why Ornata's remote operations platform makes autonomous farming practical for today's producers. How the business helps farmers address labour shortages while using the machinery they already own. Why building trust with farmers is the foundation of every customer relationship. What the Area Sales Manager role looks like day to day. Why understanding farming systems matters more than having deep technical knowledge. How customer referrals are driving growth across regional farming communities. What it is like working in a fast-growing Australian agtech startup. Why joining early creates opportunities to grow with the business. What success looks like after the first 12 months in the role. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Ornata Technologies and the new role 02:34 Six months of progress and milestones 05:31 The importance of local customer relationships 12:00 Why Victoria and New South Wales are key markets 15:10 What success looks like in the territory manager role 22:45 Customer profiles and farm types 26:54 Onboarding and what to expect in the role 36:51 The future of autonomous farming technology
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