Genomic Breeder (Cucurbits & Leafy)

Enza Zaden; Enkhuizen; Hybrid; EUR 44,000 - 69,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Laptop provided

Remote work allowance

Annual bonus 10%

25 vacation days

Overnight accommodation support

Job summary

Enza Zaden is seeking a Genomic Breeder to translate genomics into practical breeding tools. You will bridge breeders and data scientists, shaping data-driven strategies to accelerate crop improvement across vegetables.

The role is 38 hours per week, with Genomic Breeder I or II levels and a monthly gross salary between €3,984 and €6,223. Other benefits include vacation allowance, annual bonus, days off, laptop and phone, remote work allowance, and a retirement plan.

Qualifications

• MSc or PhD in Plant Breeding, Genetics, Quantitative Genetics, Bioinformatics, Data Science, or a related field.
• At least 2 years of experience in genomic breeding, genomic selection, or a related discipline.
• Experience analyzing genotypic and phenotypic data in a breeding context.
• Knowledge of modern breeding principles, including genetic gain, selection strategies, and KPIs.
• Sufficient bioinformatics and scripting literacy to collaborate effectively with data scientists and bioinformaticians.
• Strong project management, stakeholder management, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Partner with breeders to understand breeding challenges and opportunities.
• Lead implementation of genomic selection and other data-driven breeding approaches.
• Analyze genotypic and phenotypic data and translate insights into breeding strategies.
• Ensure the quality, consistency, and interpretation of genotypic and phenotypic data used in breeding decisions.
• Contribute crop-specific expertise to develop methods, workflows, and software with data scientists and bioinformaticians.
• Lead implementation projects and support stakeholder alignment, adoption, and continuous improvement of new breeding technologies.

Skills

Genomic breeding

Genomic selection

Data analysis

Breeding principles

Bioinformatics scripting

Project management

Stakeholder management

Communication skills

Education

MSc/PhD in Plant Breeding

Job description

At Enza Zaden, innovation in breeding starts with turning data and genomics into practical solutions that create impact in the field. As a Genomic Breeder, you will play a key role in bringing new genomic technologies into our breeding programs and helping breeders make better, data-driven decisions. Working at the intersection of breeding, genomics, data science, and bioinformatics, you will translate complex genetic insights into tools and strategies that accelerate breeding progress. Through close collaboration with breeders and technical specialists, you will contribute to the development of the next generation of vegetable varieties.

Make a difference as Genomic Breeder

As a Genomic Breeder, your primary focus is the successful implementation of genomic technologies within our breeding programs. You will act as the bridge between breeders and specialists in data science and bioinformatics, ensuring that new tools and approaches are translated into practical breeding applications. By combining your passion for breeding with your expertise in genomics, you will help drive innovation and maximize breeding progress across crops. In this role, your work will include

• Partnering with breeders to understand breeding challenges, objectives, and opportunities;
• Driving the implementation of genomic selection, predictive breeding, and other data-driven breeding approaches within breeding programs;
• Analyzing genotypic and phenotypic data and translating insights into breeding strategies and recommendations;
• Ensuring the quality, consistency, and interpretation of genotypic and phenotypic data used in breeding decisions;
• Contributing crop-specific expertise to the development of new methods, workflows, and software together with data scientists and bioinformaticians;
• Leading implementation projects and supporting stakeholder alignment, adoption, and continuous improvement of new breeding technologies.

What You Bring As Our Future Colleague

As a Genomic Breeder, you are passionate about applying innovation to improve breeding outcomes. You enjoy working across disciplines and know how to translate complex scientific concepts into practical solutions that breeders can use. With your strong communication skills and breeder‑centric mindset, you build trust, influence stakeholders, and create enthusiasm for change. You take ownership, collaborate effectively, and remain resilient when navigating new ways of working.

In addition, you have:

• An MSc or PhD in Plant Breeding, Genetics, Quantitative Genetics, Bioinformatics, Data Science, or a related field;
• At least 2 years of experience in genomic breeding, genomic selection, predictive breeding, or a related discipline;
• Experience analyzing and interpreting genotypic and phenotypic data in a breeding context;
• Knowledge of modern breeding principles, including genetic gain, selection strategies, experimental design, and breeding KPIs;
• Sufficient bioinformatics and scripting literacy to collaborate effectively with data scientists and bioinformaticians;
• Strong project management, stakeholder management, and communication skills.

Enza Zaden as your employer

Enza Zaden is an international family‑owned company that has been developing innovative vegetable varieties since 1938. Together with more than 3,300 colleagues worldwide, we work on vegetable seeds with better flavor, higher yields and strong resistances. We do this from our mission: “Breeding to feed the world.” Every day, more than 480 million people eat vegetables grown from our seeds, and that is something we are very proud of.

We are passionate about our work and care about one another. Good ideas are given room to grow and together we keep moving forward. This is how we continue to grow and innovate, both as a company and as colleagues.

What you can expect from us

We believe it is important that you can grow in your work and feel good about what you do. That is why we invest in your development, well‑being, and job satisfaction. Through our Great to Grow development program, our focus on vitality, and activities that bring colleagues together, we create a work environment where you can keep learning and contribute with energy and enjoyment.

You can also count on:

• A position for 38 hours per week;
• Depending on your experience and background, you will be appointed as a Genomic Breeder I or Genomic Breeder II. The gross monthly salary ranges between €3,984.18 and € 5,500.87 (Scale H, Collective Labor Agreement for Vegetable Seed Companies) for Genomic Breeder I and from €4,356.06 to €6,222.94 for Genomic Breeder II, based on a full-time workweek of 38 hours;
• 8.33% vacation allowance and an attractive annual bonus program of 10% of your annual salary, depending on your job level and company performance;
• 25 vacation days, the option to purchase additional vacation days, and one paid vitality day per year, with extra vacation days granted as you get older;
• A laptop and mobile phone provided by Enza Zaden;
• A contribution toward overnight accommodation costs if you live farther away from Enza Zaden. This program applies to employees working for Enza Zaden in the Netherlands whose one-way commute exceeds 100 kilometers and 75 minutes;
• An attractive retirement plan, commuting reimbursement if you live more than 10 kilometers from your workplace and a remote work allowance when working partly from home in consultation with your manager;
• Opportunities for personal and professional growth through our Great to Grow development program, training courses, workshops, and e-learning platform;
• Plenty of opportunities to connect with colleagues outside of your daily work through social events organized by the Staff Association, as well as Young Enza networking events, inspiration sessions, and social gatherings. We also host an annual summer barbecue, Christmas market and New Year’s reception;
• A strong focus on your health and well-being, including free fresh fruit, healthy lunch options at the office, a bike-to-work program, sports activities through enzActive, and mental well-being support through OpenUp.

Let’s connect

Do you have questions about the role or the application process? Please feel free to contact Annemarie Weening, Senior Corporate Recruiter, at [e-mail].

Enza Zaden is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate based on background, identity, or personal characteristics.

Want to learn more about Enza Zaden? Visit our website.