Senior Plant Pathologist: Lead Field & Lab Research

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

Benefits offered by this job

Medical aid coverage

Annual leave + PD

State-of-the-art facilities

International travel opportunities

Retirement & life insurance

Job summary

Placements24 in George, Western Cape, is seeking a Principal Plant Pathologist to lead advanced research on crop diseases, develop diagnostics, and advise stakeholders across the agricultural sector. This is a senior field-and-lab role requiring strategic vision and collaboration with national and international partners.

You will oversee field trials, mentor scientists, publish findings, and help secure research funding while upholding biosafety standards.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Plant Pathology, Mycology, or closely related field.
• 8+ years of extensive research experience with strong publication record.
• Proven ability to diagnose fungal, bacterial, and viral plant pathogens.
• Experience with molecular diagnostics and bioinformatics workflows.
• Strong leadership, collaboration, and grant-writing capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead and conduct advanced research on plant diseases of regional crops.
• Develop molecular and classical diagnostic methods for pathogen ID.
• Study etiology, epidemiology, and host-pathogen interactions.
• Design and evaluate integrated disease management strategies.
• Conduct field trials and assess new control agents.
• Analyze data, publish findings, and report to stakeholders.
• Supervise and mentor junior scientists and staff.
• Collaborate with national/international institutions and agencies.
• Advise on policy and ensure biosafety compliance.

Skills

Plant pathology

Molecular diagnostics

Bioinformatics

Field trials

Leadership

Academic publishing

Grant writing

Communication

Mentorship

Education

Ph.D. in Plant Pathology

Tools

PCR

qPCR

DNA sequencing

Job description

Placements24 in George, Western Cape, is seeking a Principal Plant Pathologist to lead advanced research on crop diseases, develop diagnostics, and advise stakeholders across the agricultural sector. This is a senior field-and-lab role requiring strategic vision and collaboration with national and international partners.

You will oversee field trials, mentor scientists, publish findings, and help secure research funding while upholding biosafety standards.