Senior Plant Breeder: Drought-Resistant Crops Leader

Placements24; George; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Competitive salary

Medical and retirement plans

Job summary

Placements24 in George, Western Cape, seeks a Lead Plant Breeder to spearhead drought-tolerance crop development. You will lead a team of scientists, drive breeding programs from lab to field, and apply cutting-edge genetics and genomic selection.

We require a PhD in Plant Breeding or Genetics with 10+ years postdoctoral experience in abiotic stress tolerance, and proven leadership in managing research projects. Willingness to travel and publish findings rounds out the profile.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Plant Breeding, Genetics, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 10 years of post-doctoral research experience in plant breeding with abiotic stress tolerance focus.
• Proven success in developing and releasing improved crop varieties.
• Experience leading scientific teams and managing research projects.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of plant breeders and geneticists in breeding programs for drought tolerance.
• Develop and implement molecular breeding techniques and genomic selection strategies.
• Oversee evaluation of germplasm and breeding lines under stress conditions.
• Manage field trials, data collection, and statistical analysis for genetic gains.
• Collaborate with agronomists, pathologists, and other specialists for integrated crop improvement.
• Publish findings in peer-reviewed journals and present at conferences.
• Contribute to IP management including patent applications for novel varieties.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Project management

Travel willingness

Education

PhD in Plant Breeding/Genetics

Tools

R

SAS

GenStat

Job description

Placements24 in George, Western Cape, seeks a Lead Plant Breeder to spearhead drought-tolerance crop development. You will lead a team of scientists, drive breeding programs from lab to field, and apply cutting-edge genetics and genomic selection.

We require a PhD in Plant Breeding or Genetics with 10+ years postdoctoral experience in abiotic stress tolerance, and proven leadership in managing research projects. Willingness to travel and publish findings rounds out the profile.