Molecular Scientist

ACSEN Agriscience; Bengaluru; On-site; INR 900,000 - 1,300,000; Full time

Job summary

ACSEN Agriscience in Bengaluru seeks a Molecular Scientist to accelerate marker discovery, validate markers for vegetable crops, and improve genotyping and purity analysis to support crop improvement and seed quality assurance.

You will optimize marker panels, streamline DNA extraction, implement automation, and coordinate with breeding teams to ensure timely results and cost efficiency. Experience in molecular biology and plant genetics is expected.

Qualifications

• Relevant postgraduate qualification in Biotechnology, Molecular Biology, Genetics, Plant Molecular Biology or a closely related discipline.
• Experience in molecular biology techniques, plant genotyping and molecular marker‑based analysis.
• Exposure to seed purity testing, vegetable crop breeding or marker‑assisted selection would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Identify, evaluate and validate molecular markers for DFP applications in vegetable crops where relevant genetic data is available.
• Develop and optimise marker panels for reliable differentiation and identification of parents and hybrids.
• Validate selected markers across parental lines and hybrids to establish their suitability for routine testing.
• Support DFP implementation for priority hybrids in coordination with relevant breeding and R&D teams.
• Improve the turnaround time for marker discovery, panel development and validation through systematic planning and workflow optimization.
• Conduct molecular genetic purity (MGP) testing of validated hybrids and associated seed lots, in line with defined protocols and quality requirements.
• Streamline DNA extraction from seeds through simplified, efficient extraction methods.
• Optimise routine testing workflows through the use of a minimum number of validated markers wherever scientifically appropriate.
• Implement suitable automation in DNA extraction and molecular testing processes.
• Build team capability by acquiring proficiency in automation and seed DNA extraction techniques and training relevant team members.
• Maintain testing records, track turnaround times and identify bottlenecks affecting timely delivery of results.
• Reduce the cost per data point through efficient utilisation of chemicals, consumables and laboratory resources.
• Evaluate the reuse of suitable plasticware and reduction in reagent consumption without compromising data quality, accuracy or reliability.
• Design and optimise SNP assays and workflows to improve testing efficiency.
• Implement multiplexing approaches where technically feasible to increase testing throughput and reduce per-sample analysis costs.
• Monitor cost, productivity and result consistency to ensure that efficiency improvements do not adversely affect test performance.
• Conduct genotyping and molecular screening of tomato samples for relevant traits, including TY-1, TY-2, TY-3, TY-5, TY-6, BWR-6 and BWR-12.
• Support marker-assisted backcrossing (MABC) and other breeding activities through timely and accurate molecular screening.
• Compile, analyse and interpret genotyping data and communicate results to the relevant breeding teams.
• Ensure that screening results are available within agreed timelines to support breeding decisions and advancement of research material.
• Coordinate with tomato R&D scientists to understand testing requirements, sample priorities and result interpretation needs.
• Conduct molecular purity assessments of P1 and P2 parental lines to support the Parent Seed Production (PSP) team.
• Complete purity assessment and communicate results within agreed timelines.
• Validate findings in coordination with breeders, the Grow-Out Test (GOT) team and PSP quality personnel.
• Investigate discrepancies or unexpected results and support appropriate follow‑up testing and resolution.
• Ensure that test results and supporting data are documented and communicated to relevant stakeholders for quality and production decisions.
• Maintain accurate and traceable records of marker discovery, validation, genotyping, testing costs and laboratory performance.
• Apply appropriate quality controls to ensure the reliability and reproducibility of molecular data.
• Prepare test reports and data summaries within agreed turnaround times.
• Document optimised protocols and support standardisation of validated laboratory methods.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement in molecular testing, data analysis and laboratory operations.

Education

Postgraduate qualification in Biotechnology/Molecular Biology/Genetics/Plant Molecular Biology

Experience in molecular biology techniques, plant genotyping and molecular marker-based analysis

Exposure to seed purity testing, vegetable crop breeding or marker-assisted selection

Job description

Position: Molecular Scientist

Department: Biotech

Location: Bengaluru

Job Purpose

To accelerate molecular marker discovery and validation, improve the speed and cost-effectiveness of molecular testing, and provide reliable genotyping and purity analysis to support crop improvement, hybrid development, and seed quality assurance across vegetable crops.

Roles & Responsibilities

Molecular Marker Discovery and DFP Development

• Identify, evaluate and validate molecular markers for DFP applications in vegetable crops where relevant genetic data is available.
• Develop and optimise marker panels for reliable differentiation and identification of parents and hybrids.
• Validate selected markers across parental lines and hybrids to establish their suitability for routine testing.
• Support DFP implementation for priority hybrids in coordination with relevant breeding and R&D teams.
• Improve the turnaround time for marker discovery, panel development and validation through systematic planning and workflow optimization.

Molecular Testing and Process Efficiency

• Conduct molecular genetic purity (MGP) testing of validated hybrids and associated seed lots, in line with defined protocols and quality requirements.
• Streamline DNA extraction from seeds through simplified, efficient extraction methods.
• Optimise routine testing workflows through the use of a minimum number of validated markers wherever scientifically appropriate.
• Implement suitable automation in DNA extraction and molecular testing processes.
• Build team capability by acquiring proficiency in automation and seed DNA extraction techniques and training relevant team members.
• Maintain testing records, track turnaround times and identify bottlenecks affecting timely delivery of results.

Cost Optimisation and Laboratory Productivity

• Reduce the cost per data point through efficient utilisation of chemicals, consumables and laboratory resources.
• Evaluate the reuse of suitable plasticware and reduction in reagent consumption without compromising data quality, accuracy or reliability.
• Design and optimise SNP assays and workflows to improve testing efficiency.
• Implement multiplexing approaches where technically feasible to increase testing throughput and reduce per-sample analysis costs.
• Monitor cost, productivity and result consistency to ensure that efficiency improvements do not adversely affect test performance.

Molecular Screening and Support to Tomato R&D

• Conduct genotyping and molecular screening of tomato samples for relevant traits, including TY-1, TY-2, TY-3, TY-5, TY-6, BWR-6 and BWR-12.
• Support marker-assisted backcrossing (MABC) and other breeding activities through timely and accurate molecular screening.
• Compile, analyse and interpret genotyping data and communicate results to the relevant breeding teams.
• Ensure that screening results are available within agreed timelines to support breeding decisions and advancement of research material.
• Coordinate with tomato R&D scientists to understand testing requirements, sample priorities and result interpretation needs.

Parental Purity Confirmation and Cross-Functional Coordination

• Conduct molecular purity assessments of P1 and P2 parental lines to support the Parent Seed Production (PSP) team.
• Complete purity assessment and communicate results within agreed timelines.
• Validate findings in coordination with breeders, the Grow-Out Test (GOT) team and PSP quality personnel.
• Investigate discrepancies or unexpected results and support appropriate follow‑up testing and resolution.
• Ensure that test results and supporting data are documented and communicated to relevant stakeholders for quality and production decisions.

Data Management and Scientific Documentation

• Maintain accurate and traceable records of marker discovery, validation, genotyping, testing costs and laboratory performance.
• Apply appropriate quality controls to ensure the reliability and reproducibility of molecular data.
• Prepare test reports and data summaries within agreed turnaround times.
• Document optimised protocols and support standardisation of validated laboratory methods.
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement in molecular testing, data analysis and laboratory operations.

Qualifications & Experience

• Relevant postgraduate qualification in Biotechnology, Molecular Biology, Genetics, Plant Molecular Biology or a closely related discipline
• Experience in molecular biology techniques, plant genotyping and molecular marker‑based analysis
• Exposure to seed purity testing, vegetable crop breeding or marker‑assisted selection would be advantageous