Discovery Breeding Intern

We invite you to help us shape the future of agriculture. 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 North America Discovery Breeding team is looking for an intern to work with our discovery breeders and data scientists to work on cutting-edge projects which bring novel innovations, methods, and technologies to product development, ultimately to create and shape the future of Syngenta’s breeding pipeline. In this role, you will do a rotation within the team, working on a variety of field-based plant breeding and data science projects, tailored to the candidate’s unique skill set and career development interests.

As an intern at Syngenta, 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 get:

• Competitive wages ($18 - $30 hourly salary rate) 
• Ongoing career development resources & mentorship from scientific experts
• Meaningful projects that solve novel and interesting scientific problems

Duration: May 2024 – August 2024
Locations: Highland, IL, Stanton, MN, or Slater, IA

Accountabilities:

• Support plant breeding & data scientists in both field related activities and analytical activities required for maintaining an active corn or soy discovery breeding program
• Perform activities related to planting, note taking throughout plant life cycle, phenotyping, and safety & training
• Assist with managing and developing part time workers
• Analyze data and prepare a report and presentation for an assigned project focusing on applying innovative methodology and technology improvements to the discovery breeding program
• Gather and analyze requirements and develop appropriate data structures
• Transform and structure large datasets for genetic or statistical analysis
• A variety of additional data management skills may be learned and deployed
• The intern will operate in accordance with Syngenta Health, Safety, & Environmental (HSE) standards

• Requires a High School Diploma or equivalent
• Student must be currently pursuing a BS or BA in Data Science, Computer Science, Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Genetics, Agronomy, Statistics, Animal or Plant Science, or other scientific / mathematic field
• Must be a current student continuing education upon completion of the internship term (May 2024 through August 2024)
• Some introductory plant breeding or programming knowledge is an advantage
• Current Sophomore or Junior standing preferred
• All applicants must be eligible to work in the US

Requirements:

• Attention to detail
• Good communication and interpersonal skills
• Critical thinking
• Ability to multi-task, work independently, as well as part of a team
• Proactive approach to assigned objectives/goals
• Prior experience or course work in data science, computer science, or statistics is required
• Prior data management experience is strongly desired

What We Offer:

• A culture that celebrates diversity & inclusion, promotes professional development, and offers flexible work options to meet both your work and personal needs

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, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) (http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/fmla.htm)
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC)(http://webapps.dol.gov/elaws/firststep/poster_direct.htm)
Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA)(http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/eppa.htm)
 

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.