Seed Applied Technologies (SAT) Global Field-Testing Lead

Vylor; Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Paid time off

Parental leave

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Vylor is seeking a Seed Applied Technologies (SAT) Global Field-Testing Lead to drive global SAT trial plans, translate requests into executable field plans, and coordinate networks across geographies. You’ll partner with SPD and regional teams to ensure protocols, data quality, and compliance align with program goals.

The role emphasizes cross-functional collaboration, data-driven learning, and continuous improvement of field workflows, with travel during key seasons and responsibilities

Qualifications

• PhD in agronomy, plant science, biology, entomology, plant pathology, crop science, statistics, or related field.
• Master’s degree with 5–10 years of relevant field research or seed applied technology experience.
• Experience designing and coordinating multi-location field trials.

Responsibilities

• Translate SAT requests into field trial plans across crops, geographies, and stages.
• Draft practical, technically sound field protocols with design, measurements and timelines.
• Coordinate execution through global field-testing networks and sites.
• Collaborate with SPD and regional teams to integrate SAT trials into programs.
• Forecast and track field testing needs, resources, and constraints.
• Monitor trial status, risks, and deviations with proper documentation.
• Coordinate permitting, compliance, and approvals before execution.
• Coordinate data capture, quality review, and summarize results for stakeholders.
• Support controlled-environment experiment design and analysis when needed.
• Synthesize outcomes into concise technical summaries and learnings.

Skills

Field trial coordination

Data analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Travel readiness

Education

PhD in agronomy or related field

MS with 5-10 years field research

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 are seeking a Seed Applied Technologies (SAT) Global Field-Testing Lead. Drive global seed applied technology (SAT) field testing plans by translating requests into executable field trial plans, developing fit-for-purpose protocols, coordinating execution through internal and external field networks, and summarizing results to support technical learning, prioritization, and cross‑functional decision making. The role may also support controlled‑environment experiment design, analysis, and result summarization, while execution of those experiments remains with the accountable laboratory, greenhouse, or controlled‑environment teams.

What You’ll Do:

• Field Testing Plan Translation: Translate SAT team requests, hypotheses, treatment concepts, and learning objectives into clear field trial plans across relevant crops, geographies, environments, and testing stages.

• Protocol Development: Draft practical and technically sound field protocols, including treatment structure, trial design, success measures, data collection timing, quality expectations, and execution requirements.

• Network Execution: Coordinate seamless execution through global field‑testing networks by aligning trial requirements with site capabilities, seasonal calendars, resource availability, and operational constraints.

• Collaboration: Partner closely with Seed Product Development (SPD) and regional field teams to integrate SAT trials into existing field programs where appropriate and ensure expectations are clear before planting, application, rating, harvest, and data transfer.

• Resource Planning and Tracking: Forecast and track field testing needs, including location demand and plot types; signal network constraints early for leadership discussion.

• Execution Monitoring: Maintain visibility to trial status, execution risks, deviations, and seasonal issues, ensuring appropriate escalation and documentation when protocols, resources, or field conditions require adjustment.

• Permitting and Compliance Coordination: Understand permitting, stewardship, and compliance needs associated with SAT trials; partner with regulatory, stewardship, legal, regional, and operations teams to ensure required permits, approvals, and trial conditions are identified and in place before execution.

• Data Quality and Analysis: Coordinate data capture expectations, perform or coordinate appropriate data quality review and analysis, and summarize field and controlled‑environment experiment results in a clear, fit‑for‑audience format.

• Controlled-Environment Support: Support greenhouse, growth chamber, or laboratory experiment design, analysis, and summarization as needed, while ensuring execution responsibility remains with the appropriate controlled‑environment teams.

• Result Summarization: Synthesize single‑season and multi‑location outcomes into concise technical summaries for key stakeholders, highlighting key learnings, limitations, and follow‑up needs.

• Continuous Improvement: Identify opportunities to improve SAT field testing workflows, protocol templates, execution handoffs, data standards, and network planning processes.

What Skills You Need:

• Education and Experience: PhD in agronomy, plant science, biology, entomology, plant pathology, crop science, statistics, or a related agricultural science field; or master’s degree in a related field with 5-10 years relevant field research, applied research, or seed applied technology experience.

• Field and Applied Research Experience: Demonstrated experience designing, coordinating, executing, or analyzing multi‑location field trials and/or supporting controlled‑environment experiments in seed, crop protection, biologicals, seed applied technologies, or related agronomic research.

• Protocol and Trial Design: Ability to convert technical requests into executable protocols with clear treatments, design structure, measurements, timelines, quality expectations, and decision‑relevant outputs.

• Cross‑Functional Coordination: Proven ability to work across SAT, SPD, TCD, regional field teams, operations, data science, and other partners to align expectations and resolve execution issues.

• Resource and Network Planning: Ability to understand field network capacity, identify resource gaps, track commitments, and signal constraints early with practical options or trade‑offs.

• Data Analysis and Communication: Strong data literacy, attention to data quality, and ability to summarize trial results into clear technical and leadership‑ready outputs.

• Permitting and Compliance Awareness: Ability to identify trial‑level permitting, stewardship, agreement, and compliance requirements; engage the appropriate accountable functions; and track readiness so trials proceed only when required approvals and conditions are in place.

• Stewardship and Safety: Working knowledge of field research stewardship, safety expectations, treatment handling boundaries, documentation requirements, and escalation pathways.

• Travel: Ability and willingness to travel during key field seasons for planning, execution alignment, site visits, data quality checks, or stakeholder engagement.

What Makes You Stand Out

1. Field Testing Leadership and Execution

• Execution Discipline: Consistently turns ambiguous SAT requests into field‑ready plans with clear owners, timelines, deliverables, and escalation points.

• Scenario Planning: Anticipates planting windows, treatment timing, rating feasibility, site fit, weather risk, and network capacity constraints before they compromise trial outcomes.

• Operational Follow‑Through: Tracks progress from request intake through final data delivery, ensuring issues are visible and handoffs are not lost.

2. Communication and Influence

• Clear Translation: Bridges technical SAT objectives and field execution needs so field teams understand not just what to do, but why it matters.

• Stakeholder Updates: Provides timely, concise updates on field execution status, risks, resource needs, and expected result timing.

• Result Storytelling: Summarizes findings with appropriate context, limitations, and recommended next steps for technical and leadership audiences.

3. Cross‑Functional Collaboration and Project Management

• Network Partnership: Builds productive working relationships with SPD, TCD, regional field teams, and operations partners to support reliable trial execution.

• Resource Alignment: Helps reconcile priorities across teams by making capacity, timing, and trade‑offs visible early.

• Mutual Accountability: Establishes clear expectations for protocol delivery, trial placement, execution quality, data return, and issue resolution.

4. Analytical Rigor and Data-Driven Learning

• Data Quality Focus: Ensures data collection plans, rating methods, metadata, and quality checks are aligned to the trial objective.

• Appropriate Analysis: Applies or coordinates fit‑for‑purpose analysis for multi‑location field data without overstating conclusions beyond the trial design.

• Learning Orientation: Connects field outcomes to future protocol improvements, network placement decisions, and SAT learning priorities.

5. Stewardship, Compliance, and Safety Orientation

• Safe Field Execution: Reinforces safety and stewardship expectations for treated seed, field operations, data collection, and site visits.

• Clear Escalation: Recognizes when permit, stewardship, agreement, chemistry logistics, or compliance questions must be escalated to accountable functions.

• Documentation Discipline: Ensures field plans, deviations, data limitations, and execution issues are documented clearly for downstream interpretation.

Physical Job Requirements

• Stand and sit for extended periods.
• Work both outdoors and indoors in hot, cold, wet, and dry conditions.
• Lift up to 60 lbs.
• Perform work that involves repetitive motion and/or repetitive lifting.
• Exposure to dust and plant allergens including but not limited to corn, sunflower, cotton, and canola pollen as well as potential mold spores and/or chemicals in the course of your duties.

Please note there is no visa sponsorship available for this role.

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

Vylor is an equal opportunity employer. We are 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.