Global Operations Engineering Leader

Corteva Agriscience; Johnston (IA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Development opportunities

Health benefits for you and family

Paid time off and holidays

Parental leave

Job summary

Vylor, Inc. in Johnston, IA is seeking a Global Operations Engineering Leader to guide engineering strategy for the Seed Operations network.

You will lead manufacturing automation, asset reliability, and major capital projects across the global production footprint. The role requires 10+ years of engineering leadership in manufacturing, with a focus on governance, standardization, and continuous improvement to drive safety and efficiency.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 10 years of progressive engineering leadership experience in manufacturing, operations, industrial, agricultural production, or related environments.
• Demonstrated success leading engineering teams across multiple sites, regions, or global operations.
• Proven experience driving manufacturing automation, asset reliability, operational performance improvements, and large-scale capital project execution.
• Experience establishing engineering standards, governance processes, and operational excellence initiatives.
• Strong strategic leadership, business acumen, and financial management skills, including capital planning and investment prioritization.
• Ability to lead organizational change, influence stakeholders, and drive business transformation.
• Expertise in engineering operations, maintenance excellence, continuous improvement, and technology implementation.
• Proven ability to develop organizational capability, build high-performing teams, and foster collaboration across functions and geographies.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and relationship-building skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the global engineering strategy for Seed Operations, aligning engineering investments, technology adoption, and infrastructure planning with business objectives.
• Lead engineering, manufacturing automation, asset reliability, and capital project execution across the global seed production network.
• Establish and govern engineering standards, processes, and best practices to drive safe, reliable, efficient, and sustainable operations.
• Identify and implement automation and process improvement opportunities that enhance safety, quality, productivity, scalability, and operational performance.
• Drive asset reliability, maintenance excellence, lifecycle management, and equipment performance through standardized practices and data-driven decision-making.
• Oversee the planning, prioritization, and execution of capital projects, ensuring delivery is safe, on time, within budget, and aligned with business needs.
• Promote operational excellence through standardization, continuous improvement, cost optimization, and adoption of industry best practices.
• Support enterprise objectives related to safety, quality, compliance, sustainability, and risk management.
• Develop performance metrics and governance processes to measure engineering effectiveness and drive accountability.
• Build and lead a high-performing global engineering organization by attracting, developing, and retaining top talent while fostering collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Manufacturing automation

Asset reliability

Capital project execution

Engineering standards

Strategic leadership

Financial management

Change management

Operations optimization

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering

Job description

Join Vylor-Powering the Future of Agriculture

At Vylor, we're advancing agriculture through breakthrough science-combining elite germplasm, cutting-edge biotech, and next-generation expertise in gene editing and molecular breeding. Our portfolio includes trusted industry brands like Pioneer®, Brevant®, and Hoegemeyer®, delivering performance farmers rely on.

Join us to help scale innovation globally and shape what's next in crop science.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Global Operations Engineering Leader in Johnston, IA. This role provides strategic leadership for engineering across the global Seed Operations network, driving manufacturing automation, asset reliability, capital project execution, and engineering standards to ensure safe, reliable, efficient, and sustainable operations. Partnering closely with regional and site leaders, the Global Operations Engineering Leader advances operational excellence through standardization, technology adoption, continuous improvement, and asset optimization while building organizational capability and supporting the long-term growth and competitiveness of the business.

VISA Sponsorship is not available for this position.

This is a hybrid role working in-office Tuesday-Thursday; remote Monday and Friday.

What You'll Do:

• Develop and execute the global engineering strategy for Seed Operations, aligning engineering investments, technology adoption, and infrastructure planning with business objectives.

• Lead engineering, manufacturing automation, asset reliability, and capital project execution across the global seed production network.

• Establish and govern engineering standards, processes, and best practices to drive safe, reliable, efficient, and sustainable operations.

• Identify and implement automation and process improvement opportunities that enhance safety, quality, productivity, scalability, and operational performance.

• Drive asset reliability, maintenance excellence, lifecycle management, and equipment performance through standardized practices and data-driven decision-making.

• Oversee the planning, prioritization, and execution of capital projects, ensuring delivery is safe, on time, within budget, and aligned with business needs.

• Promote operational excellence through standardization, continuous improvement, cost optimization, and adoption of industry best practices.

• Support enterprise objectives related to safety, quality, compliance, sustainability, and risk management.

• Develop performance metrics and governance processes to measure engineering effectiveness and drive accountability.

• Build and lead a high-performing global engineering organization by attracting, developing, and retaining top talent while fostering collaboration, innovation, and continuous learning.

• Other duties as assigned.

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, Industrial Technology, Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field required.

What Skills You Need:

• Minimum of 10 years of progressive engineering leadership experience in manufacturing, operations, industrial, agricultural production, or related environments.

• Demonstrated success leading engineering teams across multiple sites, regions, or global operations.

• Proven experience driving manufacturing automation, asset reliability, operational performance improvements, and large-scale capital project execution.

• Experience establishing engineering standards, governance processes, and operational excellence initiatives.

• Strong strategic leadership, business acumen, and financial management skills, including capital planning and investment prioritization.

• Ability to lead organizational change, influence stakeholders, and drive business transformation.

• Expertise in engineering operations, maintenance excellence, continuous improvement, and technology implementation.

• Proven ability to develop organizational capability, build high-performing teams, and foster collaboration across functions and geographies.

• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and relationship-building skills.

What Makes You Stand Out:

• Advanced degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or a related discipline preferred.

Benefits – How We'll Support You:

• Numerous development opportunities offered to build your skills

• Be part of a company with a higher purpose and contribute to making the world a better place

• Health benefits for you and your family on your first day of employment

• Four weeks of paid time off and two weeks of well-being pay per year, plus paid holidays

• Excellent parental leave which includes a minimum of 16 weeks for mother and father

• Future planning with our competitive retirement savings plan and tuition reimbursement program

• Learn more about our total rewards package here - Corteva Benefits (https://hrportal.ehr.com/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=2Nre68t3vrs%3d&portalid=351)

• Check out life at Vylor! https://www.linkedin.com/company/vylorgenetics/

Are you a good match? We seek applicants from all backgrounds to ensure we get the best, most creative talent on our team.

Corteva announced to separate our current advanced seed and genetics business to establish a standalone company, operating as Vylor, Inc. The process of the planned separation is anticipated to be completed the fourth quarter of 2026, subject to legal requirements and board approval. Should you accept this position, it is anticipated that, following conclusion of the separation, you would be an employee of Vylor, Inc. and your employment would be governed by Vylor, Inc. employment processes, programs, policies, and benefit plans. In that case, details of any planned changes would be provided to you by Vylor, Inc. at an appropriate time and subject to any necessary consultation processes.

Vylor is an equal opportunity employer. Vylor is committed to embracing our differences to enrich lives, advance innovation, and boost company performance. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, military or veteran status, pregnancy related conditions (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), disability or any other protected status in accordance with federal, state, or local laws.

Corteva Agriscience™ is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to boldly embracing the power of inclusion, diversity, and equity to enrich the lives of our employees and strengthen the performance of our company, while advancing equity in agriculture. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability or any other protected class. Discrimination, harassment and retaliation are inconsistent with our values and will not be tolerated. If you require a reasonable accommodation to search or apply for a position, please visit:Accessibility Page for Contact Information

For US Applicants: See the 'Equal Employment Opportunity is the Law' poster.