Assistant Plant Breeder

Location: Salinas, CA

• Assist in the planning, coordination, execution, and evaluation of breeding and research trials.
• Collect, organize, analyze, and interpret breeding and field trial data.
• Participate in variety development activities, including plant selection, crossing, evaluation, and advancement of breeding lines.
• Maintain accurate breeding records, databases, and trial documentation.
• Support seed production, breeding cage operations, isolation trials, and seed harvest activities.
• Prepare technical reports, presentations, and summaries of research and breeding results.
• Collaborate with production, harvest, processing, and research teams to evaluate crop performance and quality attributes.
• Contribute to the implementation of modern breeding technologies and tools, including marker-assisted breeding, genomic selection, and other emerging methodologies.
• Travel to trial locations and research sites as needed.

• Masters degree required in Plant Breeding, Agronomy, Horticulture, Biology, or a related field.
• Ph.D. preferred.

• One or more years of experience in plant breeding, agricultural research, field trials, or related agricultural responsibilities.
• Strong data collection, analysis, and recordkeeping skills.
• Experience with Microsoft Office applications; proficiency with Excel preferred.
• Familiarity with database management systems is a plus.
• Knowledge of plant breeding principles, experimental design, and statistical analysis.
• Laboratory and research experience preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team.

• Valid drivers license required.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed.
• Ability to work in diverse environments, including office, laboratory, greenhouse, warehouse, cold storage, and field settings.
• Bilingual skills are a plus but not required.