Germplasm Development Scientist (Tomato Breeder)

Company Description

Syngenta Seeds is one of the world’s largest developers and producers of seed for farmers, commercial growers, retailers and small seed companies. Syngenta seeds improve the quality and yields of crops. High-quality seeds ensure better and more productive crops, which is why farmers invest in them. Advanced seeds help mitigate risks such as disease and drought and allow farmers to grow food using less land, less water and fewer inputs.

Syngenta Seeds brings farmers more vigorous, stronger, resistant plants, including innovative hybrid varieties and biotech crops that can thrive even in challenging growing conditions.

Syngenta Seeds is headquartered in the United States.

Job Description

We are seeking a Germplasm Development Scientist (Tomato Breeder) to join our EAME market segment team. You will lead the development of germplasm, inbred lines, and hybrid varieties for determinate fresh tomato production, with a primary focus on Iran, Egypt, and Jordan, to create commercially successful varieties.

The role aims to implement strategies that facilitate the development of commercially viable lines and hybrids and ensure all activities contribute to genetic gain and the long-term success of the breeding program.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain and develop a product development portfolio in line with market segment requests and business planning, addressing short-, medium-, and long-term market segment needs.
• Develop awareness of market needs for commercial products market segments areas. Interactions with colleagues from other departments to anticipate product performance gaps and contribute to a research plan to address these gaps. Continuous learning to understand changing market needs.
• Interaction with Sales/Commercial team to understand the nature of any product performance anomalies. Provide information to these groups to assist them with their decision-making processes.
• Develop and deploy new breeding technologies and methods. Implement data driven decision in every part of the breeding program.
• Prepare nursery and yield trial experiments: Design current and future resource plans with key stake holders.
• Plan and coordinate transfer of parental line seeds to Production & Supply to support new product launches in agreement with the parental delivery process.
• Ensure freedom to operate by strengthening our intellectual property position, maintain awareness of competitor activity and being a strong steward of the tomato seed industry
• Responsible for a quantitative assessment of pipeline performance in alignment with market needs: Generate reports/tables/charts to highlight to other functions and management how product performance is measured over time or in comparison to check hybrids in a current growing season. Determine rates of genetic gain for different product pipelines in market segments through mining of phenotypic data.
• Collect field notes on agronomic traits on inbred and hybrid materials including pathology traits.
  
  

Qualifications

• Degree/Master/PhD in Plant Breeding or related field.
• At least 5 years of experience as Breeder.
• In-depth knowledge of:
• Conventional plant breeding.
• Plant genetics.
• Statistics and field design.
• Genomic Selection.
• Marker breeding techniques including genome wide selection (GWS).
• Population genetics and quantitative genetics.
• Proficiency in data analysis.
• Strong project management and communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and lead diverse teams.
• Fluent in English and Spanish.
  

Additional Information

• International travel required (mostly Egypt, but also Iran and Jordan)
• Location: El Ejido (Almería)
  
  

What We Offer

• A culture that promotes work/life balance and celebrates diversity.
• Possibility of being part of our #FutureOfWorkPolicy: 3 days at home, 2 at the office.
• Extensive benefits package including a pension plan scheme, bonus, life insurance & a pool of flexible benefits to choose (Ticket Restaurant, WellHub, etc.)
• A role that contributes to valuable and impactful work in a stimulating and international environment.
• Learning culture and a wide range of development options, including access to learning platforms (Degreed and LinkedIn Learning)
  
  

Syngenta is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion, or any other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.