Senior Lead, Corn Trait Development & Prototyping

Vylor, Inc.; Des Moines (IA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Paid time off

Parental leave

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

Vylor, Inc. seeks an experienced Corn Senior Crop Trait Development Lead to advance insect control traits through late discovery and pre-commercial stages. You will assemble and evaluate IC, HT, DR, and Yield trait components in elite germplasm, shaping product concepts and IP strategies for licensing.

You will lead cross-functional teams, develop project plans, and present updates to senior leadership. Strong publication/patent history and farmer-facing experience are highly valued.

Qualifications

• PhD in Entomology, Breeding, Agronomy, Weed/Crop Science, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, or related field with 10+ years experience or MS with 15+ years.
• Proven track record leading cross-functional project or program teams with R&D and business stakeholders.
• Experience in commercial seed biotech trait development in Insect Control, Herbicide Tolerance, and related traits.
• Publications and/or patents demonstrating plant biotechnology and breeding expertise.
• Understanding of trait development processes prior to commercial development.
• Experience interacting with farmer customers in a commercial context.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional teams to direct late-stage trait development and pre-commercial de-risking of IC, HT, DR, and Yield components.
• Develop scientific plans aligned with functional leaders; communicate status, risks, and opportunities to stakeholders.
• Design experiments and data sets to support pipeline advancements and out-licensing.
• Prepare and present scientific and commercial-focused content to regulatory and leadership audiences.
• Coordinate field trials and plot tours across global locations.

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

Project management

Plant biotechnology knowledge

Insect-control trait development

Education

PhD in Entomology, Breeding, Agronomy, Weed/Crop Science, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, or related field

Job description

Vylor, Inc. seeks an experienced Corn Senior Crop Trait Development Lead to advance insect control traits through late discovery and pre-commercial stages. You will assemble and evaluate IC, HT, DR, and Yield trait components in elite germplasm, shaping product concepts and IP strategies for licensing.

You will lead cross-functional teams, develop project plans, and present updates to senior leadership. Strong publication/patent history and farmer-facing experience are highly valued.