At PanAmerican Seed, we're committed to moving from Seed to Success! As our vegetable and herb product lineup evolves to fit the modern marketplace, we strive to supply distributors and growers with high-quality varieties, up-to-date cultural information, and expert technical advice. Our distinct group of vegetables and herbs are especially suited for fresh market farmers and hobby gardeners.

Key Responsibilities:

Develop innovative and competitive vegetable varieties by implementing applied and advanced breeding techniques/strategies, analyzing research data, and presenting recommendations to management on new and existing projects.

Essential Functions:

• Provide consumer and customer solutions by developing new and improved plant varieties through use of traditional breeding and applied advanced sciences.
• Ensure the proper commercial direction of the program by working in collaboration with the product development and sales teams, and general manager.
• Develop and utilize advanced technologies by working in close collaboration with Ball Helix, the companies advanced science group and 3rd party providers.
• Ensure producibility and quality of the product by working with the product manager, production and quality assurance teams.
• Effectively manage resources by coordinating breeding projects with fellow breeders and the general manager, adhering to budgets and resource allocation.
• Manage the pre-commercial product pipeline for your crops by managing inventory of parental lines and breeding material, data management, storage, etc.

Other Responsibilities:

• Provide support for the execution of other breeders’ projects, as required.
• Remain up to date with scientific and technological developments and where possible, bring new, innovative tools to the program.
• Other duties and responsibilities determined by the needs of the company and/or general manager of the HandPicked Vegetables unit.

Requirements:

• Ph.D. in Plant Breeding /Plant Sciences or similar field or MS degree with 5 years relevant experience in a breeding capacity.
• Experience in practical plant breeding; exceptional motivation and creativity.
• Practical experience in vegetable farming and/or trials management and evaluation is strongly preferred.
• Must be well organized, able to communicate effectively both orally and in writing, and possess attention to detail and follow-through.
• Effectively manage technicians and work well in a collaborative product development team.
• Proficiency using computers and related software. Superior ability to use Excel is required; experience with a database is preferred.
• Domestic and international travel in support of his/her programs, averaging 20- 30% as required.
• Ability to speak and understand Spanish is a significant plus.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to work in greenhouse environment with long periods of standing.
• Ability to work effectively in field settings to make selections and evaluate trials, sometimes under high temperatures.
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs.

Scope of Responsibility

Staff: This position may take reports of Assistant Breeders and Technicians.
Budgets: Budgetary responsibility at program level.

Our promise to you:

Ball is a global leader in horticulture: we develop, produce, and sell plants around the world. Our vision is to color the world through our customers. We create excitement in the world of flowers and are the first choice for service. We deliver all the best and nothing else! To you, we deliver a work environment and a culture where building long-lasting relationships internally and externally is important. We believe that good communication, sharing ideas and collaborating on projects will set us up for success. We keep both our feet on the ground and are approachable.

In addition to this we provide a comprehensive Total Rewards package that includes:

• Medical, dental, life and long-term disability insurance, paid parental leave
• 401k/Profit Sharing Retirement Plan
• Paid time off benefits including vacation and holidays
• Tuition assistance
• An onsite subsidized café overlooking 30 acres of renowned display gardens and restored natural areas
• Employee Assistance Program and Positive Health programs

To apply:

Interested candidates should submit a resume with salary requirements to:

Job Summary:

• Provides quality assurance in seed testing in accordance with internal standards, local and federal laws and regulations.
• Preforms all functions associated with routine and specialty seed germination and purity testing (prepping and treating samples, sowing, evaluation, etc.) and maintenance of associated documentation.
• Develops reliable, reproducible germination testing methods for novel crops.
• Provides technical support to seed testing teams at production locations around the globe.
• Supervises one or more Research Technicians.
• Works as part of a multi-faceted seed research team.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to work while sitting for long periods of time required.
• Knowledgeable of and able to follow all necessary safety regulations for work in a laboratory environment.
• Occasional international travel (1-2X per year) will be required.

Keys to Success:

• Timeliness and accuracy of work products
• Willingness to train/teach others
• Team-oriented
• Exceptional problem-solving skills
• Ability to organize and prioritize
• Ability to approach and communicate with a wide range of people
• Flexibility - ability to adapt to changing environmental/situational needs

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Biology, Botany, Horticulture, or Plant Science
• +3 years professional experience in seed analysis (flower seed experience preferred)
• Certified Seed Analyst or Registered Seed Technologist certification
• Advanced use of Microsoft Office products (Outlook, Excel, Powerpoint, Word)
• Strong knowledge of basic statistics and statistical software
• Excellent organizational and multi-tasking skills
• Excellent communication skills (verbal & written)

To apply:

Interested candidates should apply online at https://www.ballhort.com/Careers/