Genotyping Panels Specialist

SeedQuest; Watsonville (CA); On-site; USD 87,430 - 113,660; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage

401(k) with employer match

Profit-sharing participation

Paid vacation

Paid sick time

Job summary

SeedQuest in Watsonville, California, is seeking a Genotyping Panels Specialist to coordinate high-throughput genotyping workflows. You will manage vendor relationships, oversee data quality, and guide a team in optimizing processes. Candidates should possess a Bachelor’s in a relevant field with 5+ years of experience or a Master's with at least 3 years. Strong organizational and communication skills are essential. The position offers a salary between $87,430 and $113,660 per year, plus benefits.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of relevant experience with Bachelor's or 3+ years with Master's.
• Experience managing complex operational workflows.
• Bilingual in Spanish and English preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own planning and execution of genotyping panel workflows.
• Act as liaison with external genotyping laboratories.
• Oversee quality control of panel data.

Skills

Experience coordinating genotyping workflows

Excellent organizational skills

Problem-solving skills

Communication skills

Understanding of data quality principles

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Genetics, Plant Science, Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics or related field

Master’s degree in related field

Tools

Project management tools

Job description

Applicants must be legally eligible to work in the country where the position is located.

Genotyping Panels Specialist

Location: Watsonville, California, US

Job Requisition ID: R0008999

Time Type: Full time

Experience Years: 3-5 years of experience

About the Opportunity

The Genotyping Panels Specialist will play a critical role in enabling high-throughput, production-scale genotyping to support predictive and molecular breeding at Driscoll’s. This role is responsible for end-to-end coordination of genotyping panel workflows, including proposing and implementing workflow improvements and new quality control measures, while also providing day-to-day coordination, knowledge transfer and operational oversight. The Panels Specialist will be a critical member of the production genotyping team: both as a technical and operational owner of multiple genotyping platforms and as a coordinator of vendors and diverse stakeholders to ensure quality data outcomes. They will also be responsible for mentoring and supporting junior coordinators and/or seasonal staff via knowledge sharing and providing day-to-day guidance.

Responsibilities

Lead Genotyping Panel Operations

• Own planning and execution of mid- and high-density genotyping panel workflows, from sample intake through data delivery.
• Coordinate high-throughput sample volumes across breeding programs to meet strategic timelines.
• Own panel schedules, priorities, and operational risk management.

Vendor & External Laboratory Management

• Act as the primary liaison with external genotyping laboratories for panel-based projects.
• Manage forecasts, sample submissions, and ongoing communication to ensure alignment on scope, timelines, and quality.
• Track vendor performance metrics (TAT, data quality, and repeatability) and elevate issues as needed.

Data Quality, QC & Curation Oversight

• Oversee quality control of panel data, including autoscoring, repeatability, and standard control performance.
• Partner with data scientists to ensure accurate annotation, ingestion, and curation of genotyping data into enterprise systems.
• Lead root‑cause analysis for data quality issues and drive corrective and preventive actions.
• Consistently and proactively seek out process improvements.

People Leadership & Coordination

• Provide day-to-day guidance, mentorship, and workload coordination for support specialists, technicians, or seasonal staff.
• Support training, and knowledge transfer for genotyping panel workflows and SOPs.
• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and cross‑functional collaboration.

Cross‑Functional Collaboration

• Serve as a key integration point between Breeding, Farming, Data Science, and external partners.
• Communicate status, risks, and deliverables clearly to internal stakeholders to support planning and decision‑making.

Workflow Optimization & Documentation

• Lead development, maintenance, and continuous improvement of SOPs for panel genotyping workflows.
• Support implementation of new panel technologies or workflow enhancements.

Reporting, Metrics & Operational Planning

Develop and maintain dashboards or reports to track panel throughput, turnaround time, QC outcomes, and volume.

Candidate Profile

• Bachelor’s degree in Genetics, Plant Science, Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics, or a related field with 5+ years of relevant experience OR Master’s degree with 3+ years of relevant experience.
• Experience coordinating genotyping workflows (mid- and/or high-density SNP platforms strongly preferred).
• Proven experience managing complex operational workflows with multiple stakeholders and external vendors.
• Strong understanding of genotyping data quality principles, QC metrics, and production-scale data workflows.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Experience with genotyping workflows, Data QC, and Project Management.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in high-throughput agricultural or biological operations.
• Demonstrated continuous improvement or process optimization experience.
• Experience with project management and tracking tools.
• Bilingual Spanish/English skills.

Compensation and Benefits

Salary Range for the Genotyping Panels Specialist: $87,430.00/year to $113,660.00/year.

Driscoll’s offers an attractive benefits package that varies by location, including comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance, disability coverage for positions working more than 30 hours per week (US), 401(k) with employer match, profit‑sharing participation, paid sick time, paid vacation, paid personal and family care leave, and a free Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Detailed information will be provided during the application process.