Lead, Sugarcane Breeding & Tech Strategy

Wilmar Sugar Australia Limited; Townsville City; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

Wilmar Sugar Australia Limited seeks a Technical Field Department Manager to lead sugarcane breeding and variety improvement, delivering high‑yielding, disease‑tolerant varieties that secure supply and long‑term performance.

The role combines scientific expertise with commercial acumen and people leadership, reporting to the Group Manager Agriculture. A PhD and proven leadership in breeding or R&D programs are essential for success.

Qualifications

• PhD in Plant Breeding and Quantitative Genetics or equivalent expertise.
• Significant experience leading plant breeding, agricultural research or crop improvement programs with multidisciplinary teams.
• Advanced knowledge of quantitative genetics, experimental design, genomics and data-driven decision making.

Responsibilities

• Lead and execute sugarcane breeding and variety improvement strategy to deliver high-yielding, disease-tolerant cane varieties.
• Provide leadership to the Technical Field Department and build team capability across breeding, genetics, field trials and data analytics.
• Manage the department's operating and capital budgets to enable effective resource allocation and strategic outcomes.
• Oversee breeding trials, disease screening and genomic selection to ensure timely, robust results.
• Build relationships with growers, universities, industry bodies and government agencies to drive collaborative research initiatives.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Data analytics

Genomics

Budget management

Strategic planning

Education

PhD in Plant Breeding and Quantitative Genetics

Job description

Wilmar Sugar Australia Limited seeks a Technical Field Department Manager to lead sugarcane breeding and variety improvement, delivering high‑yielding, disease‑tolerant varieties that secure supply and long‑term performance.

The role combines scientific expertise with commercial acumen and people leadership, reporting to the Group Manager Agriculture. A PhD and proven leadership in breeding or R&D programs are essential for success.