Assistant Farm Operations Manager, Pre-Foundation Seed Production

About the role....

The Assistant Farm Operations Manager, Pre-Foundation Seed Production will be primarily responsible for pre-foundation seed production activities along with supporting breeding activities as needed.  The role is based in Lafayette, Indiana, and reports to the Nursery Operations Lead. 

As Assistant Farm Operations Manager, Pre-Foundation seed production, you will…

• Ensure seamless execution of all field-based activities at the Inari Farm site in Lafayette, IN, as planned by the Product Development and Operations teams including:
• Coordination of activities related to foundation seed inventory management, coordination of process order creation during processing and participation in stock counts, and ensuring appropriate record keeping of inventory movement and sign off
• Be responsible for planning and coordination of field production activities of pre-foundation seed with seed growers, in order to meet the required seed availability and quality standards. This includes coordinating field activities during the planting, growing, harvesting, and processing of pre-foundation seed.  
• Assist with training and managing all seasonal crews during operational activities associated foundation seed activities 
• Assist with planning and manage logistics of international seed shipments, including permits.
• Ensure timely and accurate data collection and return
• Develop a centralized seed processing area and team that meets Inari’s quality and stewardship standards.  Determine personnel and equipment needs to accelerate the readiness for planting and avoid seed substitutions and contaminations. 
• Supervise and ensure documentation of any seed from the field that is discarded during the post advancement process. 
• Provide ongoing communication, to include technical and operational updates, to management as needed
• Contribute to the successful and positive growth of the Product Operations team at Inari
• Ensure all EH&S protocols and standards are meet 
• Develop and adhere to Quality Management System standard operating procedures
• Ability to work extended hours during  seasonal peaks 

You Bring…

• Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy, Plant Sciences, or related discipline with ≥ 5 years experience in managing or working at a research station.
• Ability to multi-task and meet deadlines in a fast-paced work environment
• Experience with small plot machinery, data, and other forms of spatial data.
• Certified Pesticide Applicator license (Required)
• Demonstrated understanding of crop physiology, agronomy, plant breeding, imagery-based phenotyping, and precision agriculture
• Desire to employ new techniques and approaches to crop science
• Ability to rapidly learn new software and workflows 
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment and handle ambiguity gracefully
• Experience with Google Suites
• Attention to detail with excellent time management and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated attention to detail, documentation, and communication with diverse audiences

Bonus qualifications:  

• Experience using PRISM
• Demonstrated experience with stewarded or regulated field research