Trait Assessment Scientist

Role : Trait Assessment Scientist

Role Purpose

• Accountable for delivery of the screening of varieties and hybrids, providing information about resistance to TPP targets, and supporting the advance of lineages in the Germplasm Development and Product Development pipeline stages. Additionally or alternatively, this position works closely to Research, and Native Trait teams on the discovery of innovative products ;
• Ensure that the multi-year strategies plans will be implemented by the Trait Assessment team members through the execution of the approved budget (Capex and Opex) and procedures to support the safety practices ;
• Support team members to achieve operational goals, providing clarity and complete understanding about the strategies and the resources available ; support definition of individual priorities and track performance of team members;
• Provide regular orientation to the employees to foster a career development planning, review the performances of the employees in order to determine their strengths and weaknesses. Define and monitor the actions to help employees to exhibit constant outstanding work to qualify for higher position

Accountabilities :

• In-charge for the specific project activity in a given crop at site.
• Plan, coordinate and ensure execution of Trait Assessment operational tasks within its work group: operations, staff, and resources ;
• Sustain and develop appropriate structures for implementation and delivery of data to support decision-making and communication ;
• Develop work plans and drive execution by mentoring staff, as well as monitoring project progress;
• Maintain an open and stimulating working atmosphere, support the professional and personal development of group members ,
• Coordinate a team of researcher/scientist associate and research assistants on routine activities for characterization of Syngenta germplasm to pathogens and pest and perform people management activities as defining individual priorities, track performance and provide feedbacks
• Prepares reports of completed projects to support leadership decision making, for presentation to the regulatory agency requesting, or for use in further applied or theoretical research activities ;
• Participate regularly in global or regional technical networks, prepare and deliver presentations to the project team and stakeholders ;
• Actively participates in the product advanced meeting (HPC and VPC) with the responsibility to present the data and recommendations of Trait Assessment ;
• Responsible to write and define standards and SOPs for Trait Assessment processes and procedures ; 
• Coordinate the daily facilities operations such as Laboratory and Greenhouse, supervising all maintenance of the facility, and maintaining records ;
• Create and monitor Trait Assessment metrics (KPI´s) to track compliance and process effectiveness and define the reporting to the leadership and stakeholder groups ;
• Ensure that the stakeholders planting, manage and harvest the greenhouse and field trials in the right window seasons follow strict safety standards ;
• Analyze department productivity and efficiency and identify and implement improvements ;
• Provides high scientific and specialist/subject matter and leadership that support to define the functional or departmental strategy ;
• Influence and navigate needs of diverse stakeholders, with different backgrounds, needs, cultures, and languages ;
• Serve as technical advisor to Syngenta teams working to develop new transgenic and native trait approaches to disease and pest management ;
• Act as driver to have state of the art technologies, methods, procedures and structures implemented ;
• Work effectively with other teams in Syngenta regarding development and delivery of methods, tools, and analyses, providing trial accuracy and reliability ;
• Promote a culture of innovation and continuous improvement ;
• Ensure that the company is up to date with developments in specified policy areas and research markets ;
• Support the development of collaborators regarding the technical, self-development, and career aspects ;
• Assume other supervisory responsibility as needed.

Syngenta Seeds is one of the world’s largest developers and producers of seed for farmers, commercial growers, retailers and small seed companies. Syngenta seeds improve the quality and yields of crops. High-quality seeds ensure better and more productive crops, which is why farmers invest in them. Advanced seeds help mitigate risks such as disease and drought and allow farmers to grow food using less land, less water and fewer inputs. Syngenta Seeds brings farmers more vigorous, stronger, resistant plants, including innovative hybrid varieties and biotech crops that can thrive even in challenging growing conditions.

Syngenta Seeds is headquartered in the United States.

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS & EXPERIENCE:

Critical Knowledge:

• Analytical thinking and solution-oriented mindset;
• Ability to working independently, solve problems through deductive reasoning, the application of scientific principles, and good experimental design;
• Demonstrated ability to influence partners, build consensus, gain support and inspire others;
• Good verbal communication skills to effectively manage the employees and set clear expectations for job assignments;

Critical Skills:

• Plant disease diagnosis and identification on vegetable crops.
• Plant Pathogen/Insect Symptomology Screening techniques - lab & field; artificial screening and plant disease assessment of germplasms & hybrids and breeding materials.
• Molecular diagnosis techniques like PCR, ELISA etc.
• English skill in conversation, writing and reading

Education & Critical Experience: 

• PhD in Plant Pathology, Eight years or more experience or related field with at least ten years of experience.
• Experience on seed research business operations, preferably with an experimental background and leading scientific teams;
• Recognized skills and ability to solve problems through deductive reasoning, application of scientific principles and good experimental design;
• Demonstrated experience on performing several trials at the same time under Laboratory, Field and Controlled environment to vegetable crops;
• Knowledge and experience with common data base management, data analyses, and presentation software;
• Ability to analyse data and draw scientific inferences in order to be able to lead discussions with critical stakeholders.