The Plant Breeder is responsible for developing commercial tomato hybrid varieties that are relevant to Campbell Soup Company's manufactured products. These varieties must have desirable manufacturing traits, superior quality characteristics, and resistance to pathogens, high yields, and grower friendly traits. The successful candidate will work as part of a team involved in tomato variety development and should have working knowledge of general combining ability, genetic gain and heritability of desired traits, and a good understanding of molecular testing methods and/or knowledge in molecular biology is a plus. The breeder will also need to interact with the Technical Services Group as well as Campbell's Seeds personnel, with seed dealers, growers, other breeders and non-Campbell processors to promote the new Campbell's tomato varieties.

Principal Accountabilities:

• Tomato Hybrid Development (40%): Hybrid development includes the selection of inbred lines with desirable traits to be combined into hybrid crosses and evaluation of these hybrids for commercialization into established varieties with desired characteristics.
• Commercial Variety Evaluation (25%): Commercial variety evaluation includes testing of proprietary tomato varieties to determine their suitability for use in Campbell's manufacturing and consumer products.
• Molecular testing (10%): Provide leadership in using molecular markers as a tool to identify traits in tomato germplasm to be incorporated into elite CSC varieties.
• Customer Relations (10%): Maintain/enhance relationship with the Sacramento Ag. operations as well as with the supply Chain personnel to ensure that the objectives of the Breeding Program are inline with Campbell's needs. In addition, build and maintain relationship with non-Campbell users to promote and ensure acceptance of non-proprietary tomato hybrids nationally as well as internationally.
• Assist the team (15%) in developing vegetable varieties (for example Jalapeno peppers) with desired traits.

Job Complexity:

• Developing a new hybrid tomato or Jalapeno pepper variety is part art and part science. It requires selection of the "right" inbreds to be used in hybrid development, which must have high yields, high solids, disease resistance, field horticultural characteristics, plus others.
• After the hybrid is made, it requires field evaluation to determine if the new hybrid carries the desired traits. Generally, 200 to 300 new crosses are made annually which need to be evaluated and tested individually to identify the best variety for our products, for the processors, and for the growers. Both tomato and Jalapeno germplasm have many traits, but it is the selection of the correct traits combined into one variety that makes a successful variety.

Requirements:

• The candidate should have an M.S. degree in plant breeding, genetics or related field, with a Ph.D. preferred.
• 3 - 5 years of experience is also desired.
• Knowledge in experimental design and statistical analysis
• Experience in breeding vegetable crops, especially tomatoes .
• Good understanding of molecular testing methods is a plus
• Good oral and written communication skills are required
• Computer skills (MS Office) are required

Working Conditions:

• Hybrid evaluation takes place in the field where air temperatures can easily exceed 100 F degrees. During the summer production season, time in the field can reach 80 - 90% of a work day.
• May require lifting boxes of 40 - 50 pounds. Day trips to remote field locations are required to evaluate hybrids during the growing season. Some international travel will be required to evaluate inbreds as well as experimental hybrids grown under unique environments.

Please go to the following URL to apply:

http://www.campbellsoupcompany.apply2jobs.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=mExternal.showJob&RID=6135&CurrentPage=1

CAMPBELL SOUP COMPANY
www.campbellsoup.com

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Campbell Soup Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer