Operations Technician-Seed health

Role Purpose

• The purpose of Operations technician is to support the different breeding projects in delivering on project goals by running the seed health processing, testing and registration operations along with supervising a crew of third-party contract labor.
• Support overall activities of the site Seed development operations team by leading the logistics, organization and execution of seed health testing, seed registration, and seed shipments.
• Follow and apply all HSE (Health, Safety, & Environment) and Stewardship practices, as well as to provide support to site management with the functional activities of a research facility.

Accountabilities

• Functioning as an integral member of operations team covering all activities from seed to seed process from harvest through seed registration, including but not limited to seed health measures, seed cleaning, seed health testing, and inventory management.
• Directly manage and supervise including but not limited to seed extraction and packaging of vegetable trials and vegetable breeding nurseries, seed health testing, inventory registration, and shipment assistance of on and off site trials.
• Supporting efforts to maintain seed stewardship principles of inventory and performing tasks that include but are not limited to: seeding, sampling, planting, spraying, threshing and data collection.
• Responsible for timely registration of all materials from on and off site trials in to the seed inventory
• Management of databases for seed health testing statuses, inventory, and tracking of seed
• Maintain seed quality principles of inventory, and performing tasks that include: Database management, storing, packaging, field trial layout and organization, seed processing, document management, and data collection.
• Managing, coaching and training of third-party contract labor to ensure accurate results are achieved. Monitoring performance indicators for third-party contract labor.
• On-call for various types of field emergencies or unscheduled work based on business needs or weather conditions (including weekends).
• Performing all tasks and behaving in a manner compliant with and in support of all safety and stewardship related company policies and practices, including completing all required company training courses and attending local safety meetings.
• Effectively communicating on a daily basis with peers, breeding teams and supervisor regarding the status of projects and work activities.
• Participate in research and process-improvement projects related to the growing and breeding of vegetable varieties. 

Syngenta is a global leader in agriculture; rooted in science and dedicated to bringing plant potential to life. Each of our 30,000 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 Us

Through leading innovations, we help farmers around the world meet the challenge of feeding a growing population and taking care of our planet. We are currently seeking an Operations technician – Seed Health for the Seeds Development team in Woodland, CA.   

Requirements: Critical knowledge

• BS or AA with equivalent experience in plant breeding, agronomy, biology, or horticulture
• A basic understanding of plant physiology and breeding is desirable.
• MS Office Suite and database management skills
• Knowledge of internationals shipping requirements for seed and equipment
• Good ability to plan activities. Basic understanding of project management and planning.
• Excellent communication skills. Bilingual preferred English/Spanish
• Desirable to have AASCO certification or ability to achieve within 6 months of hire

Critical experience

• Ability to use professional concepts and company policies and procedures to solve a wide range of problems in practical ways.
• Ability to operate seed laboratory equipment, like seed cleaners, seed counters, and other tools needed for agricultural research projects.
• Ability to learn and use proprietary breeding management and seed inventory software systems
• Ability and motivation to learn new technologies. Experience with data-management tools is a plus.
• Experience in electronic data collection, imaging or high throughput phenotyping tools.
• Critical technical, professional and personal capabilities

• Ability to use MS Office, especially Word and Excel, and other standard software.

• Ability to learn and use proprietary systems for label printing and inventory management
• Good organizational skills required

Critical leadership capabilities

• Must be able to work in a team and communicate with individuals throughout the organization.
• Experience in managing, coaching and training a diverse crew of third-party contract labor.
• Experience working in a team in a customer facing role with commitment to success and being results oriented.

• All applicants must be eligible to work in the US without visa support

What We Offer:

• Full Benefit Package (Medical, Dental & Vision) that starts the same day you do
• 401k plan with company match, Profit Sharing & Retirement Savings Contribution
• Generous Vacation Policy with 9 Paid Holidays
• Maternity and Paternity Leave, Education Assistance, Wellness Programs, Corporate Discounts among others
• Salary range: $50,000 - $61,000 annually, plus targeted bonus
• A culture that promotes work/life balance, celebrates diversity, and offers numerous family-oriented events throughout the year

WL2A

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)

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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)

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