Trait Assessment India Lead

Company Description

About Syngenta
At Syngenta Vegetables and Flowers, we're cultivating tomorrow's diversity through innovative breeding that brings vibrant colors to gardens and nutritious vegetables to tables worldwide. We combine centuries of seed heritage with cutting-edge innovation to develop resilient, high-performing varieties that thrive in diverse climates. Join us in shaping the future of sustainable horticulture, where every seed holds the potential to enhance lives through better nutrition and natural beauty.

Job Description

Purpose* 

• Drive delivery of the Pest and Pathogen Resistance trait pipeline across Vegetable markets by aligning India Trait Assessment activities with Native Trait projects, Germplasm Development and marketing needs, in coordination with the Global Trait Assessment Lead and other country leads.
• Drive delivery of Quality traits and Phenotyping technologies, allocating quality assays to the India team in dialogue with global quality teams.
• Provide scientific pathology input, ensure appropriate assay execution, and support people planning, growth and development within the India Trait Assessment team.
• Enable seamless station operations by aligning annual activities, capacity, OPEX/CAPEX needs, 5-year plans and capability maps with project priorities and key internal partners.
• Drive sustained technology adoption across the India team.
• Connect local teams with literature, collaborations, germplasm acquisition opportunities, market knowledge and forums relevant to India.

Accountabilities*

• Manage and supervise activities of direct reports related to the creation, analysis, evaluation and reporting of specific trait assessment data.
• Independently provide direction for development of work plans and assignments based on needs from trait development projects, germplasm development and market needs.
• Facilitate training and development opportunities for team members to ensure technical capabilities for successful delivery of work and career development
• Ensure adherence to Syngenta compliance and QHSE policies
• Manage operational resources needed to deliver specific traits data (pathology, entomology) for discovery and germplasm development. Secure activity allocations are aligned with strategic priorities and report KPIs.
• Deliver current and build future capabilities to provide high quality data for trait targets that have commercial and strategic importance for Syngenta programs.
• Contribute to the sharing of cross crop and cross location insights and technologies to build an effective trait assessment platform in key crops
• Manage Trait Assessment activities to the required standard to deliver fit for purpose data that enables trait and germplasm promotion decisions. Provide guidance on experimental design to generate accurate data and meaningful analysis.
• Play the role of trait assessment expert for a particular trait area. Provides guidance on experimental design to generate data and analysis of.
• Build and maintain a network for external experts and collaborators that can support the trait assessment needs of key platforms.

Qualifications

• Expert knowledge of plant pathology, crop pests, diseases, and a broad knowledge and experience with conducting pathology tests and assays
• Knowledge of plant quality traits is a plus.
• Delivery of quality trial, assay data and data analytics to enable clear decisions on trait or line performance.
• Understanding of quantitative data management and analysis.
• Understanding of automation and use for analysis
• Efficient communication skills and ability to influence via rational persuasion.
• People management
• Ph.D. Required or Master degree with +5 year experience in plant pathology, crop pest, and/or diseases
• At least 5 years’ experience in trait assessment science
• Experience directing work of collaborators or temporary help, such as greenhouse or lab technician and field worker
• People management experience

Additional Information

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.