Plant Pathology Project Lead

SEMILLAS FITÓ; Cabrera de Mar; Presencial; EUR 40.000 - 65.000; Jornada completa

Descripción de la vacante

A leading company in the agriculture sector seeks a Plant Pathology Project Lead in Cabrera de Mar, Spain. The successful candidate will manage disease testing, support breeding programs, and lead Phytopathology projects. Join a dynamic R&D team offering flexible working conditions and opportunities for professional growth.

Servicios

Flexible working hours

Comprehensive welcome plan

Access to online training platform

Hybrid working model

Formación

• 3+ years of experience in plant pathology in industrial or academic settings.
• Practical knowledge on disease resistance testing.
• Proven experience in service-oriented disease testing.

Responsabilidades

• Develop and implement methods for disease testing to support breeding teams.
• Co-lead a team of Phytopathology Assistants and Technicians.
• Facilitate effective support to breeding teams on disease monitoring.

Conocimientos

Project management

Initiative

Team player

Organizational skills

Analytical skills

Effective communication

Attention to detail

Educación

PhD/MSc in relevant scientific discipline

Herramientas

Excel

Descripción del empleo

As part of our growth strategy to establish state-of-the-art Research Teams for our Vegetable Business Unit, we are looking for a hands-on Plant Pathology Project Lead based at our Semillas Fitó station in Cabrera de Mar (Barcelona), Spain. The Plant Pathology Project Lead will be part of the global R&D team and will be jointly responsible, along with the rest of the team, for the implementation and execution of all plant pathology activities.

Areas of expertise include Plant Pathology (including Virology, Mycology, Bacteriology, Entomology and Nematology), with a focus on development, implementation, and routine application of methodologies related to resistance testing, diagnostics, pathogen morphological/molecular characterization and disease crop monitoring. The candidate will report to the Plant Science and Pathology Lead of the Biotech Team.

Key Tasks

• Develop and implement methods and protocols for disease testing (routine and discovery) to support biotech and breeding teams. This includes methods and protocols for conducting bioassays, the use of molecular tools for plant-pathogen interaction characterization (e.g., virus replication), as well as the morphological and molecular characterization of pathogens.
• Facilitate effective support to prebreeding and breeding teams on disease crop monitoring.
• Assist and collaborate in the development and implementation, along with Farm teams, of the hygiene protocols in the R&D stations.
• Assist in building up the Phytopathology team of the company.
• Foster an open, honest and efficient communication as well as collaboration with Breeding, Biotech and Farm teams.
• Facilitate the execution of the short- and long-term strategy for Phytopathology in line with the overall Semillas Fitó Vegetables strategy.
• Participate in strategic crop team discussions to effectively develop and prioritize pathology research projects.
• Co-lead with the other Pathology Project Leads a team of Phytopathology Assistants and Technicians, including appraisals, training, development and career planning to foster the appropriate individual and team performance.
  
  

Why Joining Us?

At Semillas Fitó, we believe in rewarding talent with an exciting and supportive work environment. Here’s what we offer:

• Flexible working hours to help you balance work and personal life.
• A comprehensive welcome plan, 360º evaluations, and personalized development plans to help you grow and thrive.
• Integration into a young and highly motivated Biotech team of the R&D department of the company.
• Access to an online training platform, offering a wide range of self-training opportunities to keep your learning continuous.
• A hybrid working model that gives you the flexibility to work from home and the office.
• Others
  
  

Skills

• Project management
• Initiative and proactivity
• Team player with excellent organizational and analytical skills
• Teamwork mindset
• Effective communication skills
• Results-driven approach with a focus on project follow-up
• Attention to detail
• Strong ability in task organization and prioritization
• Optimization of resources and processes (continuous improvement)
• Results-oriented and people-focused mindset
  
  

Requirements:

Profile

• PhD/MSc in a relevant scientific discipline.
• 3+ years of experience in the field of plant pathology, preferably in an industrial setting, in national/international institutions dedicated to plant diseases, or in internationally recognized academic research groups.
• Practical and theoretical know-how on disease resistance testing and pathogen monitoring.
• Proven experience on service-oriented disease testing.
• People oriented leadership style.
• Language skills: English and Spanish (fluent).
• Multicultural/international orientation, ability to work in an international setup.
• Willingness to travel nationally and internationally: up to 25% of the time.
• Experience with project management and process optimization, defining and using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
• Proficient in office tools (especially Excel and databases) and data analysis.