Lead Trait Discovery in Genomics & Molecular Breeding

Advanta Seeds; College Station (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Advanta Seeds, a global seed business within UPL Group, seeks a Trait Discovery Manager to lead identification and development of innovative traits and marker-trait associations to support plant breeding programs. The ideal candidate combines deep expertise in plant genomics and genome editing with strong project leadership and collaboration with internal teams and external partners.

You will design discovery projects, advance molecular breeding pipelines, and promote rigorous experimental

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Plant Genetics, Plant Genomics, or a closely related field.
• Demonstrated expertise in genome editing technologies, such as CRISPR/Cas9 or TALENs, and hands-on experience with complementary molecular biology techniques.
• Strong understanding of plant genomics, marker-trait association discovery, and molecular breeding applications.
• Experience planning and managing complex scientific projects, including priorities, timelines, risks, and cross-functional dependencies.
• Excellent interpersonal and written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across scientific and business functions.
• Proactive, self-directed working style with strong accountability, sound judgment, and a collaborative approach.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate trait discovery projects that deliver innovative solutions for plant breeding programs.
• Design and execute studies to identify, validate, and develop marker-trait associations.
• Guide the integration of trait discovery outputs into molecular breeding pipelines in partnership with breeding and research teams.
• Build and manage effective collaborations with internal functions, external research organizations, and other strategic partners.
• Establish project plans, priorities, milestones, and resource requirements; monitor progress, quality, risks, and delivery.
• Communicate scientific findings, project recommendations, and business implications to technical and nontechnical stakeholders.
• Promote rigorous experimental practices, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement across discovery activities.

Skills

Genome editing

Molecular biology

Plant genomics

Project leadership

Communication

People management

Education

Ph.D. in Molecular Biology / Plant Genetics / Plant Genomics

Tools

CRISPR/Cas9

TALENs

Job description

Advanta Seeds, a global seed business within UPL Group, seeks a Trait Discovery Manager to lead identification and development of innovative traits and marker-trait associations to support plant breeding programs. The ideal candidate combines deep expertise in plant genomics and genome editing with strong project leadership and collaboration with internal teams and external partners.

You will design discovery projects, advance molecular breeding pipelines, and promote rigorous experimental