Assistant Plant Breeder

A. Duda & Sons, Inc.; Salinas (CA); On-site; USD 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Duda Farm Fresh Foods in Salinas, CA seeks an Assistant Plant Breeder to support a large international vegetable breeding program. You will work on crops like celery, radish, kale, and cilantro, reporting to the VP of R&D. The role combines traditional and modern breeding techniques with cross-functional collaboration.

The position emphasizes data collection, trial execution, and documentation, with opportunities to advance breeding lines and contribute to commercial variety development.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Plant Breeding, Agronomy, Horticulture, Biology, or related field is required.
• Ph.D. is preferred.
• 1+ years of plant breeding or agricultural research experience is desirable.
• Strong data collection, analysis, and recordkeeping skills are essential.
• Proficiency in Excel; familiarity with databases is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Plan, coordinate, execute, and evaluate breeding and research trials.
• Collect, organize, analyze, and interpret breeding and field-trial data.
• Participate in variety development activities including plant selection, crossing, and advancement of breeding lines.
• Maintain accurate breeding records, databases, and trial documentation.
• Support seed production, breeding cage operations, and seed harvest activities.
• Prepare technical reports and summaries of results.
• Collaborate with production, harvest, processing, and research teams to evaluate crop performance.

Skills

Plant breeding

Data collection

Excel

Database management

Statistical analysis

Communication

Education

Master's degree in Plant Breeding

Ph.D. preferred

Tools

Database management systems

Job description

Assistant Plant Breeder

Location: Salinas, CA
Department: Research & Development
Position Type: Full-Time, Exempt

Join Our Research & Development Team

Duda Farm Fresh Foods is seeking an innovative and highly motivated Assistant Plant Breeder to join our growing Research & Development team. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to a large, international breeding program focused on vegetable crops including celery, radish, kale, collards, cilantro, and other specialty crops.
Reporting to the Vice President of Research & Development, the Assistant Plant Breeder will play a key role in advancing breeding initiatives, developing improved commercial varieties, and supporting research projects that impact every stage of the production cycle. The successful candidate will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including production, harvest, and processing operations, while gaining hands-on experience in both traditional and modern plant breeding techniques.

What You'll Do

• Assist in the planning, coordination, execution, and evaluation of breeding and research trials.
• Collect, organize, analyze, and interpret breeding and field trial data.
• Participate in variety development activities, including plant selection, crossing, evaluation, and advancement of breeding lines.
• Maintain accurate breeding records, databases, and trial documentation.
• Support seed production, breeding cage operations, isolation trials, and seed harvest activities.
• Prepare technical reports, presentations, and summaries of research and breeding results.
• Collaborate with production, harvest, processing, and research teams to evaluate crop performance and quality attributes.
• Contribute to the implementation of modern breeding technologies and tools, including marker-assisted breeding, genomic selection, and other emerging methodologies.
• Travel to trial locations and research sites as needed.

What We’re Looking For

Education

• Master's degree required in Plant Breeding, Agronomy, Horticulture, Biology, or a related field.
• Ph.D. preferred.

Experience & Skills

• One or more years of experience in plant breeding, agricultural research, field trials, or related agricultural responsibilities.
• Strong data collection, analysis, and recordkeeping skills.
• Experience with Microsoft Office applications; proficiency with Excel preferred.
• Familiarity with database management systems is a plus.
• Knowledge of plant breeding principles, experimental design, and statistical analysis.
• Laboratory and research experience preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team.

Additional Qualifications

• Valid driver's license required.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed.
• Ability to work in diverse environments, including office, laboratory, greenhouse, warehouse, cold storage, and field settings.
• Bilingual skills are a plus but not required.

Why Join Duda?

At Duda, innovation and agriculture come together to create sustainable solutions for the future of fresh food. You'll have the opportunity to work alongside industry-leading researchers and contribute to meaningful projects that directly impact the development of improved vegetable varieties for commercial production around the world.

We offer a collaborative environment, opportunities for professional growth, and the chance to make a lasting impact within a respected agricultural organization.