Breeder Pepper

As part of our growth strategy and our plans to establish Breeding Teams for our Vegetable Business Unit, we are looking for a Breeder Pepper, based at KWS Vegetables Breeding station in Antalya, Turkey. The Breeder Pepper will contribute to the execution of our Breeding team in Antalya. She / He will report to the Head of Breeding within the Vegetables business unit of KWS.

Job purpose

Develop commercially and producible successful varieties for specific market segments in one/ more crops in an efficient way.

Key Success Factors:

• Quantity and quality of output of breeding program i.e. commercially successful varieties.
• Efficient and effective functioning and professionalism of the breeding team.
• Effectiveness and quality of communication (internal and external).
• Quality of advice and proposals.
• Creativity with entrepreneurial mindset.
• Combining market information and translating it into breeding goals/ideotype.

Your Tasks:

• Development: Optimize efficiency and output of the breeding program (i.e. ensuring a constant flow of commercially successful varieties) by developing and implementing (new) technologies, equipment and breeding methods within the crop improvement process by using and generating relevant genetic material in the right environment and by developing the breeding team.
• Management information: Advise, propose, and discuss with the Head of Breeding regarding long term and short-term crop specific breeding strategy/developments and participate in relevant Crop Teams for optimizing information exchange and decision making.
• Breeding plan: Formulate, design and, after the approval of the Head of Breeding, implement and execute the crop specific breeding plan by managing a continuous process of crop improvement in line with the departmental breeding strategy and in order to ensure the realization of the breeding goals. Identify promising results from different fields of research and integrate them in the breeding program. Evaluate formally with Head of Breeding on an annual basis.
• Breeding goals: Translate market requirements and future needs or opportunities observed by the breeder and by M&S and discussed in crop team into new products in order to be able to determine breeding goals.
• Budget responsibility: Prepare, discuss and, after approval of the Head of Breeding, implement specified operational plans for the breeding program analyzing differences in planning together with Head of Breeding within the guidelines of breeding department, to optimize realization of the crop breeding budgets and the operational plan.
• Management: Manage, support and direct the breeding team and breeding related activities in line with the breeding plan, guidelines and procedures and corporate values and vision within KWS Vegetables in order to ensure an efficient and effective operating breeding team. The breeding activities have to be managed on the site where the breeder is located but also on other sites where part of the program is executed, nationally and internationally.
• Support: Support and provide all departments with all necessary technical and product knowledge through structural and ad hoc working relations in order to facilitate their processes and decision making.
• HRM: Manage, direct, and coordinate after approval of the Head of Breeding and in cooperation with HR, the personnel flow within the breeding team located on the site and on external sites, including appraisal, training and development and career planning by using HR instruments, guidelines, procedures and advise in order to select and maintain competent employees and ensure an efficient and effective functioning breeding team.

Your profile:

• MSc/PhD in plant breeding or genetics or Bachelor level + necessary experience.
• In depth working knowledge of horticulture, agronomy, genetics, pathology, physiology and molecular genetics.
• Minimum 2 years of experience in plant breeding.
• Computer skills (data management, management information systems, databases, spread sheets).
• Language skills: English (must) and preferably the local language.
• Experience in management, organization and planning.
• Ability to work independently.
• Excellent communication and pragmatic skills.
• Analytical skills, structured and solution-oriented work in a team as well as a quick grasp and a high degree of personal responsibility, commitment and flexibility.
• Team player with hands-on mentality.

Remark: International) travel: app. 10-25%

Job Segment: Horticulture, Plant Breeding, Agronomy, Genetics, Agricultural, Agriculture, Science