Operations Lead

Syngenta Seeds; Nampa (ID); On-site; USD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible work options

Medical, dental, vision

401(k) with company match

Paid vacation

Paid holidays

Maternity leave

Education assistance

Wellness programs

Corporate discounts

Job summary

Syngenta Seeds in Nampa, Idaho seeks an Operations Lead for our R&D Seed Operations to deliver safe, timely, cost-effective and high-quality vegetable research trials across open-field, cage, and greenhouse environments.

You will lead a cross-functional team, develop KPIs, and ensure compliance with regulatory and HSE standards while partnering with breeding, trialing, and site leadership to drive improvements.

Qualifications

• MS (preferred) or BS in Plant Science, Agronomy, Genetics, or a related field, with 5+ years in the agricultural or breeding industry.
• Strong knowledge of breeding processes from seed to seed and related operations.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams in a matrixed R&D environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide site leadership for Nampa R&D Seed Operations, ensuring field, cage, and greenhouse trial activities are resourced, coordinated, and executed in line with safety, quality, timeline, and budget expectations.
• Translate regional and global R&D Seed Operations strategy into practical site plans, standards, and priorities for Nampa, aligned with breeding program needs and the Americas R&D Operations network.
• Own the operational delivery of vegetable research trial activities from seed to seed, comprising planning, budgets, labor, equipment, infrastructure, site maintenance, and investment needs, while ensuring demand and capacity are balanced against strategic priorities.
• Establish, monitor, and report KPIs across all Nampa operations, such as trial performance, safety, quality, cost, labor efficiency, and equipment readiness, to identify performance gaps, guide corrective actions, and drive data-based improvements that increase productivity, reliability, and efficiency.
• Ensure R&D operations at the Nampa site meet all relevant regulatory, stewardship, phytosanitary, QMS, and HSE requirements.
• Provide line leadership for the Nampa operations team, comprising coaching, performance management, capability development, succession planning, and oversight of contract labor, to build a safe, engaged, welcoming, collaborative, accountable, and high‑performing team.
• Build trusted stakeholder relationships with breeding, P&S, trialing, maintenance, site leadership, HSE, Finance, and regional R&D Operations teams to align priorities, provide clear operational visibility, proactively address constraints, manage conflicts constructively, and share best practices across the network.
• Lead and coordinate the resolution of all site‑related matters, serving as the primary point of contact for compliance, maintenance, administrative functions, community engagement, and day‑to‑day operational issues.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder mgmt

Data-driven

Dashboards

Cross-functional

Communication

Education

MS in Plant Science

BS in Plant Science

Tools

Breeding planning tools

Automation concepts

QMS knowledge

Job description

At Syngenta Vegetables and Flowers, we're cultivating tomorrow's variety through innovative breeding that brings vibrant colors to gardens and nutritious vegetables to tables worldwide. We combine centuries of seed heritage with cutting-edge innovation to develop resilient, high-performing varieties that thrive in diverse climates. Join us in shaping the future of sustainable horticulture, where every seed holds the potential to enhance lives through better nutrition and natural beauty.

Job Description

At Syngenta, our goal is to build the most collaborative and trustworthy team in agriculture, providing top-quality seeds and innovative crop protection solutions that improve farmers' success. To support this mission, Syngenta’s Product Biology Team is seeking an Operations Lead in Nampa, ID. This role will provide site leadership for Nampa R&D Seed Operations, ensuring safe, timely, cost-effective, and high-quality delivery of vegetable research trials across open-field, cage, and greenhouse environments.

The Operations Lead strengthens operational excellence by developing people, improving and standardizing processes, and enabling cross-functional collaboration across a connected, data-driven R&D Seed Operations network.

Accountabilities:

• Set direction and provide operational leadership for R&D Seed Operations at Nampa, ensuring field, cage, and greenhouse trial activities are resourced, coordinated, and executed in line with safety, quality, timeline, and budget expectations.
• Translate regional and global R&D Seed Operations strategy into practical site plans, standards, and priorities for Nampa, aligned with breeding program needs and the Americas R&D Operations network.
• Own the operational delivery of vegetable research trial activities from seed to seed, comprising planning, budgets, labor, equipment, infrastructure, site maintenance, and investment needs, while ensuring demand and capacity are balanced against strategic priorities.
• Establish, monitor, and report KPIs across all Nampa operations, such as trial performance, safety, quality, cost, labor efficiency, and equipment readiness, to identify performance gaps, guide corrective actions, and drive data-based improvements that increase productivity, reliability, and efficiency.
• Ensure R&D operations at the Nampa site meet all relevant regulatory, stewardship, phytosanitary, QMS, and HSE requirements.
• Provide line leadership for the Nampa operations team, comprising coaching, performance management, capability development, succession planning, and oversight of contract labor, to build a safe, engaged, welcoming, collaborative, accountable, and high‑performing team.
• Build trusted stakeholder relationships with breeding, P&S, trialing, maintenance, site leadership, HSE, Finance, and regional R&D Operations teams to align priorities, provide clear operational visibility, proactively address constraints, manage conflicts constructively, and share best practices across the network.
• Lead and coordinate the resolution of all site‑related matters, serving as the primary point of contact for compliance, maintenance, administrative functions, community engagement, and day‑to‑day operational issues.

Qualifications

PLEASE NOTE: Candidates must reside in and be permanently authorized to work in the United States without current or future employer sponsorship. This comprises, but is not limited to, OPT, CPT, and H-1B visa holders.

• MS (preferred) or BS in Plant Science, Agronomy, Genetics, or a related field, with 5+ years in the agricultural or breeding industry.
• Technical knowledge across agronomy, operations, automation, and planning tools, with a strong understanding of breeding processes from seed to seed.
• Demonstrated ability to lead organizational transformation and change in a complex, matrixed R&D environment.
• Demonstrated success leading cross‑functional teams in a matrixed environment to develop and deliver aligned operational plans.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence across all levels of the organization, navigate competing interests, and build trust with internal and external partners, with familiarity with regulatory, QMS, and HSE requirements in an R&D operations environment.
• Ability to establish priorities and oversee multiple research activities simultaneously during peak work periods.
• Ability to develop dashboards that track progress against key metrics and KPIs, using data‑driven insights to inform timely and effective decision‑making.
• An expert‑level understanding of sweet corn, green bean, pea, and onion production is desirable.

Additional Information

What We Offer:

• A culture that celebrates belonging and collaboration, promotes professional development and strives for a work‑life balance that supports the team members. Offers flexible work options to support your work and personal needs.
• Full Benefit Package (Medical,Dental& Vision) that starts your first day.
• 401k plan with company match, Profit Sharing & Retirement Savings Contribution.
• Paid Vacation, Paid Holidays, Maternity and Paternity Leave, Education Assistance, Wellness Programs, Corporate Discounts, among other benefits.

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