Plant Breeder - Hybrid Role with Field Trials in Gauteng

Placements24; Soweto; Hybrid; ZAR 850,000 - 1,100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical aid

Retirement plan contributions

Hybrid work model

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Plant Breeder for its R&D team in Soweto, Gauteng. The role combines lab work, controlled environment studies, and field trials in nearby agricultural areas, with a hybrid work arrangement.

You will design breeding programs, apply marker-assisted and genomic selection, analyze data, and collaborate with agronomists to release improved crop varieties. The ideal candidate has a master's or PhD and at least four years' experience in plant breeding, genetics, and data

Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in Plant Breeding, Genetics, Agronomy, or related field.
• Minimum of 4 years of plant breeding experience with crop field trials.
• Strong knowledge of genetics, quantitative genetics, and breeding methodologies.
• Familiarity with molecular breeding techniques and bioinformatics is a plus.
• Proficiency in statistical analysis software and data management.

Responsibilities

• Design and implement plant breeding programs for crops with target traits.
• Use traditional and modern methods (marker-assisted, genomic) for improvement.
• Run field trials to evaluate varieties under varying environments.
• Analyze phenotypic/genotypic data.
• Manage breeding nurseries and seed production for experiments.
• Collaborate with agronomists and scientists to meet objectives.
• Maintain records of experiments, pedigrees, and results.
• Support development and release of new varieties.
• Stay updated on advances in plant genetics and breeding.

Skills

Plant breeding

Genetics

Data analysis

Field trials

Statistical software

Education

Master's degree in Plant Breeding / Genetics / Agronomy

PhD in Plant Breeding / Genetics

Tools

Bioinformatics tools

Molecular breeding tools

Statistical software (R, SAS)

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Plant Breeder for its R&D team in Soweto, Gauteng. The role combines lab work, controlled environment studies, and field trials in nearby agricultural areas, with a hybrid work arrangement.

You will design breeding programs, apply marker-assisted and genomic selection, analyze data, and collaborate with agronomists to release improved crop varieties. The ideal candidate has a master's or PhD and at least four years' experience in plant breeding, genetics, and data