Agricultural Operations Lead

Company Description

At Syngenta Vegetable Seeds, we’re passionate about helping people in the vegetable industry succeed and putting growers at the heart of all that we do. Our energies are focused on creating solutions that help them get more out of their crops, now and in the future. A commitment in every seed. We do this by protecting seed, bulbs, or small plant quality from the start to enable growers to achieve the highest yield potentials in their operations; continually investing in R&D to bring cutting-edge innovations to the market; and striving to make a real-world difference through more sustainable practices on farms, in shipping, and at the grocery store. 

Job Description

The Woodland Station Agriculture Operations Lead manages all operational activities and functional teams at the Woodland site. This role drives the successful execution of trials, nursery operations, and site activities to ensure efficient delivery of our product pipeline. The position focuses on developing talent, optimizing processes, and implementing new technologies to deliver high-quality products while maintaining safety and environmental standards.

Accountabilities:

• Lead and develop site operations team, including performance management, succession planning, and seasonal staff management while fostering an engaged, collaborative culture.
• Drive operational excellence in trials and nursery operations, ensuring timely execution, quality standards, and delivery of commercial portfolio targets for tomato, pepper, melon, squash, and watermelon crops.
• Manage site operational budget, resource allocation, and capital investments aligned with R&D strategy while optimizing unit costs and operational efficiency.
• Ensure compliance with HSE, phytosanitary, and company standards while maintaining site infrastructure, equipment, and quality management systems.
• Implement and monitor operational KPIs, leading continuous improvement initiatives and facilitating the adoption of high-throughput phenotyping and automation technologies.
• Partner with breeding teams to optimize site capabilities, sharing best practices and maintaining transparent cross-functional communication.
• Direct site infrastructure planning, maintenance, and capital improvements to support current operations and future growth.
• Occasional (~10%) domestic travel required.

Qualifications

Required:

PLEASE NOTE—Candidates must already be located in the United States and not require visa sponsorship now or in the future (includes OPT).

• MS or BS degree in agronomy, biology, or related field with a good understanding of agriculture, crop management, and breeding principles; post-graduate qualification preferred.
• Thorough understanding of R&D processes and sufficient knowledge to identify the critical issues and engage effectively with people to solve problems.
• Sound understanding of agricultural commercial and business needs.
• Proven record of leading a dispersed team of highly qualified technical experts in a matrixed reporting environment.
• Sound understanding of agronomy, plant breeding, logistics, operations, automation, seed physiology, modeling, and planning tools.
• Knowledge of activity-based costing and basic accounting principles.
• Knowledge of automation and high-throughput phenotyping tools.

Desired:

• Knowledge of agriculture functions supporting R&D, and those systems relevant for portfolio/project management and finance.
• Working experience with Lean ways of working/Lean Six Sigma and Agile methodology.

Additional Information

Salary for the role is $86,400 - $108,000 per year.

What We Offer:

• A culture that celebrates diversity & inclusion, promotes professional development, and strives for a work-life balance that supports the team members. Offers flexible work options to support your work and personal needs.
• Full Benefit Package (Medical, Dental & Vision) that starts your first day.
• 401k plan with company match, Profit Sharing & Retirement Savings Contribution.
• Paid Vacation, Paid Holidays, Maternity and Paternity Leave, Education Assistance, Wellness Programs, Corporate Discounts, among other benefits.

Syngenta has been ranked as a top employer by Science Journal. Learn more about our team and our mission here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVCN_51GbNI

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.

WL: 4B

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