Breeding Manager Lettuce

Rijk Zwaan; Fijnaart; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Permanent contract

Competitive salary based on position

25 vacation days

Rijk Zwaan Academy training

Wellness and development programs

Job summary

Rijk Zwaan, an international family business, seeks a Breeding Manager Lettuce to lead the global lettuce breeding program from its Fijnaart facility. You will steer a diverse team, focus on development of breeding projects, coaching, and intercultural collaboration across multiple sites.

The role emphasizes people‑oriented leadership, strategic insight, and travel to support worldwide breeding teams. A Master’s degree and 5+ years in plant breeding leadership are preferred.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Plant Sciences or equivalent.
• Minimum 5 years of managerial experience in plant breeding or breeding research.
• Strong command of the English language; willing to learn Dutch.

Responsibilities

• Guide global breeding programs in lettuce with a people‑oriented leadership style.
• Provide coaching and development for a team of ~60 colleagues; collaborate with international R&D directors.
• Define breeding objectives and ensure development of breeding programs and research projects.
• Monitor IP developments and coordinate with various departments.
• Travel regularly to lead and support breeding teams worldwide.

Skills

People leadership

Breeding program management

Intercultural communication

Travel readiness

English proficiency

Education

Master's degree in Plant Sciences

Job description

PhD, Master

In this role, you will guide our breeding programs both in the Netherlands and abroad. You will provide people‑oriented leadership to a team of approximately 60 colleagues. Contribute to the vegetables of tomorrow as Breeding Manager Lettuce.

Management

In this role, you will guide our breeding programs both in the Netherlands and abroad. You will provide people‑oriented leadership to a team of approximately 60 colleagues. Contribute to the vegetables of tomorrow as Breeding Manager Lettuce.

Your job at Rijk Zwaan is to be responsible for the global strategic and process‑based direction of the breeding programs. You focus on challenging, supporting, and coaching the breeding teams. You ensure the development of breeding programs and research projects and define the breeding objectives. Rijk Zwaan has a unique company culture. Two managers generally lead the departments. This means you will jointly manage the department in the Netherlands together with your fellow Breeding Manager. Within the department, attention to personal development, coaching, and a positive working atmosphere is just as important as the content of the projects. In addition, you will be involved in:

• Managing the global portfolio of breeding programs and pre‑breeding projects
• Encouraging the implementation of new breeding techniques within the department
• Regularly visiting breeding teams worldwide and international R&D directors
• Monitoring developments in the field of intellectual property
• Collaborating with a wide range of departments, such as operational and research teams

Where will you be working? Rijk Zwaan is an international family business with a people‑oriented company culture. Rijk Zwaan sits at the beginning of the food chain. We develop fruit and vegetable varieties and sell their seeds to growers and other chain partners around the world. In doing so, we make an important contribution to global food supply. As Breeding Manager, you will lead the Lettuce Breeding department. Based in our facility in Fijnaart, we focus on developing new, tasty, and healthy lettuce varieties. The department consists of various breeding, pre‑breeding, and support teams. More than 80 colleagues worldwide work in this department.

Jair, Breeding Manager Lettuce: “It’s wonderful to work together with a diverse group of colleagues to shape the lettuce of the future.”

Your contribution

As a Breeding Manager, you have experience in people‑oriented leadership. You enjoy coaching, guiding, and helping employees develop further. You work in a structured way, communicative, and collaborative—both within and outside the organization—and you possess intercultural sensitivity. You can organize well, able to plan effectively, and have a keen sense of responsibility and strategic insight. You are also willing to travel regularly. In addition, we can find the following on your cv:

• At least a completed Master, for example in Plant Sciences
• 5 or more years of managerial experience in plant breeding or breeding research
• Strong command of the English language
• Willingly to learn Dutch

What you can expect from us

The basics are, of course, well arranged. You will work in an inspiring environment with dedicated colleagues and contribute to our mission: making healthy vegetables available to everyone. At Rijk Zwaan, responsibilities are placed as low as possible within the organization. We give breeding departments a great deal of freedom to organize their work in a way that best suits the colleagues carrying it out and the crop in question. This results in successful varieties with global impact on food supply. Each year, Rijk Zwaan invests nearly 30% of its revenue into R&D.

We are happy to offer you:

• A permanent contract from the start for 38 hours per week
• A good salary based on position level and experience
• 25 vacation days, a vitality day, and the option to purchase additional days
• Training opportunities through the Rijk Zwaan Academy

At Rijk Zwaan, it’s not only about good employment conditions, but also about your development, health, and enjoyment at work. You will find this reflected in, among other things:

• Introduction lunch with management and other new colleagues
• Fresh soup, fruit, and/or salads
• “Rondjes Rijk Zwaan” introduction program—get to know our culture, departments, and history
• Development discussions instead of appraisal interviews
• Rijk Zwaan Fit, including sports activities such as running and bootcamp, plus discounts on gym memberships
• Voluntary Preventive Medical Examination
• Activities you can participate in, from BBQs to photography workshops