Research Associate - Processing Tomato

HM.CLAUSE is a Business Unit of Limagrain, an international agricultural co-operative founded and managed by farmers. HM.CLAUSE specializes in the breeding, production, and sale of vegetable seeds. From the world market to the farmer's market, we collaborate with our customers to deliver successful solutions for the agricultural challenges of today and produce the highest quality vegetable seeds for the future. Our global team of experts and state-of-the-art research facilities enable us to work side-by-side with growers to provide the most regionally relevant and reliable vegetable seeds available.

PURPOSE OF THE POSITION:

Under the direction of the breeder, the research associate executes tasks, processes, and projects critical to the success of the breeding program. Responsibilities require a strong understanding of the scientific, operational, and logistical aspects necessary for the development of novel commercial varieties.

POSITION DESCRIPTION SUMMARY:

The successful candidate will provide breeding support for the Davis, California based tomato breeding program, including assigned project management and breeding program logistics management. They will assist the breeding program with all aspects of seed management and movement, design of field and greenhouse trials, planting, product evaluation, and become an expert with our proprietary database. He/she will also supervise farm and greenhouse crews and collaborate closely with research staff including seed resource manager, research station operations, pathologists, breeders, growers, genotyping group, labor management, cell biologist, product development, product management, and sales representatives. He/she will also be responsible for specific project management with high autonomy and be expected to manage certain aspects of data analysis projects.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

•Independently implements breeding objectives and processes, with the breeder's guidelines: crossing blocks, variety and inbred evaluations, field and greenhouse data collection, disease screening, basic seed operation, results analysis, project management, coordination of offsite activity, seed harvesting and cleaning, seed storage, and database management.

•Assist the tomato breeding team as needed in the day to day basic operations and activities of the plant breeding program: inventory management, list preparation, seed prep, seed sowing, marker sampling, planting, pollination, evaluation, seed and plot harvest, domestic and international seed shipment, and phytosanitary management.

Play a key role in the implementation of new proprietary breeding database and become an expert for the benefit of the breeding team.

•Assist the tomato breeding team in the receipt and distribution of seeds for seed production, variety trials, product development, and marketing etc.

•Coordinate seed productions of advanced breeding lines with parent seed supply manager.

•Execute greenhouse and field trial design, employing statistically valid design tools when necessary.

•Supervise field and greenhouse crew in seeding, transplanting, crossing blocks, and seed harvest;

•Collaborate with plant pathologist, cell biology, and molecular marker teams for project submission, result tracking and data entry

•Primarily responsible for the collection and analysis of data for Intellectual Property submissions

•Take up additional responsibilities and act in breeder's place as necessary

Education & work experience:

•B.S. in the field of Plant Breeding, Plant Science, Agronomy, Genetics, Statistics, or related field, plus 4 or more years of experience in a research program or M.S. in a similar field plus 2 or more years of experience in a research program.

•Experience in an applied plant breeding program is preferable.

•Understanding of basic principles of plant breeding and Mendelian genetics is desirable.