Plant Breeder

PLANT BREEDER

Charlotte, NC

Cultivating the Future of Agriculture!

About the Role: Our client is seeking to hire a passionate and experienced PLANT BREEDER  to lead their  non-GMO plant/seed breeding program based in the Charlotte NC area. Your mission will be to discover and develop the best plant traits for yield, quality, and tolerance, and to oversee the transition from field tests to commercial-scale production.

Responsibilities

• Gain an in-depth knowledge of Company’s raw materials and their essential characteristics for optimal growth, including color, yield, disease, and pest resistance.

• Collaborate with universities to create new plant varieties through selection, screening, greenhouse cultivation, and field trial management.

• Design and manage field trials, evaluate results, and perform statistical analysis to identify pest pressures and ensure robust crop development.

• Generate and analyze data sets to support the procurement of high-quality raw materials.

• Work closely with our Global Agronomy Team and other departments to ensure the successful commercialization of new plant varieties.

• Understand and navigate APHIS regulations for import requirements, including the approval process and phytosanitary standards.

• Regularly visit field plots to oversee the production stages of crop trials.

• Engage with farmers to facilitate the scale-up of plant production.

• Maintain and manage our proprietary seed/plant catalogue.

• Handle IP rights for new plant varieties.

• Collaborate with food scientists and agricultural engineers to enhance the characteristics of specialty crops across the supply chain.

Requirements

• A BS degree in Agronomy or Plant Breeding (Masters is preferred).

• At least 3+ years of experience in plant breeding, with a preference for experience in vegetables, especially sweet potatoes.

• Comprehensive knowledge of plant growth and vegetable genetics.

• Practical experience in farm operations, including planting, fertilizing, and harvesting.

• Exceptional communication skills, both verbal and written.

• Proficiency in data analytics and statistics.

• Strong organizational and time management abilities.

• Capability to work both independently and collaboratively.

• Proficiency in Spanish is a plus.

In return, they can offer a competitive salary, great benefits and ample opportunity for career growth. Relocation assistant is available although they prefer local candidates or candidates that can easily relocate to Charlotte, NC.

Send your resume to jobs@foodemployment.com  and embark on a journey to shape the future of agriculture with our dynamic team!