Seeds Production Research Intern

Role purpose

Within SPR – Seeds Production Research, you are integrated into the Corn & Sunflower team and participate in the activities of setting up and monitoring trials and continuous improvement of processes. The position is offered on a contract of 12 months, based in South Africa/Potchefstroom

•Trialling Operations: Field Trial location Scouting, Seed Preparation, Trial Design, Sowing, Maintenance, Field work, Processing and Data consolidation
•Crop specialist: Develop expertise to directly support Field Production team on agronomy topics.

Accountabilities

Include but are not limited to:

•Management of several trial locations close to production zones.
•Technically supporting the Field Production team before, during and after the season
•Deliver technical reports on specific trials (understand the complete vision of a corn/sunflower cycle: preparation of trials, participation in sowing, trial maintenance, flowering notations, harvesting, process at the factory and analysis of results)
•In collaboration with the HSE local manager, comply with Syngenta Code of Practice for operations in the Fields
 

ESSENTIAL SYNGENTA COMPETENCIES

Set Direction
•Manage operationally the trials end-to-end (field choice  data delivery)
•Communicate effectively: collaborate, listen, and inform regularly, timely and in an appropriate way
•Encourage innovation: ability to step back and analyse new scenarios
•Willingness to work away from home, spending days aways from home as required
•Willingness to spend long hours on the road
•Willingness to work overtime and on weekends/holidays in critical periods

Drive results: 
•Achieve goals: meet goals, follow-up systematically
•Be decisive: record, issue, analyse and propose corrective actions

Create edge:
•Build trust: committed, open, respect deadlines
•Motivate teamwork: ability to propose, convince and motivate people

Liberate potential:
•Promote teamwork
•Develop yourself

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS & EXPERIENCE:

Critical Knowledge: 
•Field crop specificities (either commodity or seed)
•Trial management
•Corn and sunflower basic morphological knowledge
•Proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and Microsoft Word
•Corn and sunflower disease knowledge/screening will be beneficial
•Fluency in English and Afrikaans – written and oral

Critical Skills: 
•A qualification in Agriculture, Degree from a recognised institution
•Field operations management (soil preparation, planting, …)
•Good communication skills possessing the ability to collaborate with SPR colleagues and Field Production Agronomists
•Self-motivated with the ability to work without close supervision.
•Computer literacy required – ability to learn & operate sophisticated software (JMP, MINT,SPIRIT etc.)
•Must be a person of proven integrity.
•Ability to communicate and understand co-workers (farmers)
•Ability to work under pressure
•Valid driver’s license 

Critical Experience:
•Trialling experience critical.
•3+ years with agricultural experience will be beneficial

CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS AND KEY CHALLENGES 
•Deliver high trial quality results.
•Create and enhance good working network inside SPR and within Field Production team.
•Develop and propose protocol and innovation to improve FP yield performance in South Africa

PS: this position is a 12 months fixed term contract primarily based in Potchefstroom.

As a world market leader in crop protection, we help farmers to counter these threats and ensure enough safe, nutritious, affordable food for all – while minimizing the use of land and other agricultural inputs. Syngenta Crop Protection keeps plants safe from planting to harvesting.  From the moment a seed is planted through to harvest, crops need to be protected from weeds, insects and diseases as well as droughts and floods, heat and cold. Syngenta Crop Protection is headquartered in Switzerland.