Senior Plant Breeder (Remote) — SA Crop Genetics Lead

Placements24; Pretoria; Hybrid; ZAR 1,000,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Retirement plan

Performance bonuses

Professional development

Conference attendance

Home office stipend

Travel reimbursements

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Plant Breeder for a Pretoria-based role focused on field crops genetic improvement. You will lead breeding programs, integrate MAS and GS tools, and guide a team across germplasm, trials, and data analysis to deliver high-yielding, climate-resilient varieties for South Africa.

The position offers remote-first work within South Africa, travel to research sites as needed, collaboration with agronomists and scientists, and opportunities for professional development

Qualifications

• PhD in Plant Breeding, Genetics, Agronomy, or related field.
• 7+ years in plant breeding with field crops and quantitative genetics.
• Experience managing large breeding programs and trial data analysis.
• Expertise in MAS and GS molecular breeding.

Responsibilities

• Design and run breeding programs for key field crops targeting yield and disease resistance.
• Manage diverse germplasm, selecting superior lines for advancement.
• Oversee field trials, data collection, and statistical analysis of trial data.
• Apply MAS and GS to accelerate breeding progress.
• Collaborate with agronomists, pathologists and scientists on strategy.
• Lead and mentor breeders, technicians and RAs.
• Ensure breeding data integrity and IP compliance.
• Develop new breeding technologies and methods.
• Prepare technical reports, publications, and presentations.

Skills

Leadership

Data analysis

Communication

Independent worker

Collaboration

Education

PhD in Plant Breeding, Genetics, Agronomy, or related field

Tools

MAS

GS

Plant breeding software

Germplasm databases

Job description

Placements24 is seeking a Senior Plant Breeder for a Pretoria-based role focused on field crops genetic improvement. You will lead breeding programs, integrate MAS and GS tools, and guide a team across germplasm, trials, and data analysis to deliver high-yielding, climate-resilient varieties for South Africa.

The position offers remote-first work within South Africa, travel to research sites as needed, collaboration with agronomists and scientists, and opportunities for professional development