Job reference: 18045325

Employment type: Internship

Estimated duration: May 2023 – September 2023  

Function: Research & Development (R&D)

Contract type: Full-time

About Us 

We invite you to help us shape the future of floriculture. At Syngenta, we believe every employee has a role to play in safely feeding the world and taking care of our planet. To support that challenge, the Flowers R&D Operations Team is currently seeking students to participate in our internship program in Gilroy, California.  

As an intern at Syngenta Flowers, you have the opportunity to work alongside some of the brightest minds in the industry, and work on real projects finding real solutions. Work with us and you’ll receive:  

• Competitive wages   
• Ongoing career development resources    
• The opportunity to work on meaningful, innovative projects that solve problems  
• A culture that celebrates diversity & inclusion, promotes professional development, and offers flexible work options to meet both your work and personal needs 

Estimated Duration: May 2023 – September 2023  

You will: 

• Work on meaningful projects that solve problems and develop new varieties all while being surrounded by beautiful fields of flowers, and within 2 hours drive of the CA central coast from San Francisco to Big Sur 
• Execute growing tasks across various crops in support of breeding, product development, research trialing, marketing, and elite stock plant maintenance for Flowers R&D 
• Support the Growing Team to execute the growing of crops and trials including propagation, transplanting, irrigation, fertilizer, plant growth regulator application, plant maintenance, insect and disease management, and crop scheduling 
• Assist the growing team with all aspects of growing and plant quality of assigned crops and trials grown at the Syngenta Flowers Gilroy site in close cooperation with growing, trialing, lab services, breeding, and marketing teams 
• Opportunities for experience in one or more of the following areas depending on the business need and the experience and interest of the candidate:  
• Breeding technician – hand pollination, seed collection 
• Horticulture – propagation, transplanting, fertilizer, PGRs, IPM, irrigation 
• Entomology – insect pollination trials and beneficial insect applications 
• Plant pathology – disease inoculations and pathogen testing 
• Tissue culture – secure and maintain germplasm in vitro 

What you must have: 

• A High School diploma or equivalent 
• Completion of 2 years of college classes 
• Enrollment in a Bachelor’s Degree in Agronomy, Biology, Botany, Plant Pathology, Ag Business, Entomology, Crop Protection, or another closely related field of study 
• A valid Driver's License 

What you might also contribute to the team: 

• Communication - The ability to communicate information well (both written and spoken) is highly desired 
• Detail Oriented - All procedures and policies must be understood and followed 
• Autonomous - An independent individual who is self-motivating and needs little supervision 
• Confidence - Not afraid to ask bold questions and be curious 
• Eagerness to learn and grow in the role  
• Familiarity with working on a farm or laboratory, working with crops, irrigated crops, flowers or vegetables in a greenhouse is preferred but not required. 
• The intern will be working in research fields and greenhouses and must have a willingness to work in areas where beehives are present for pollination purposes. 

About Syngenta 

Syngenta is a global leader in agriculture; rooted in science and dedicated to bringing plant potential to life. Each of our 28,000 employees in more than 90 countries work together to solve one of humanity’s most pressing challenges: growing more food with fewer resources. A diverse workforce and an inclusive workplace environment are enablers of our ambition to be the most collaborative and trusted team in agriculture. Our employees reflect the diversity of our customers, the markets where we operate and the communities which we serve. No matter what your position, you will have a vital role in safely feeding the world and taking care of our planet. Join us and help shape the future of agriculture. 

About Syngenta Flowers 

Syngenta Flowers is one of the largest wholesale breeders of flower seed and cuttings in the world – developing and producing flower seeds and cuttings for growers internationally. Syngenta Flowers is dedicated to the breeding of innovative flower varieties that offer outstanding performance in the professional greenhouse, at retail, in the landscape and in the home garden. In addition to best-in-class genetics, we support industry professionals with outstanding customer service, in-depth cultural information, flexible and exciting marketing programs, and a deep understanding of plants from many points of view. 

Apply to: 

Please click HERE to learn more and to apply online.

Syngenta is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or any other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.