Senior Research Associate, Nursery Operations

About the role.... 

This is a great opportunity for a Senior Research Associate to join our growing Farm Operations team and help us expand our breeding and field-testing capabilities.  The primary function of this position is to assist the day-to-day farm operations of all aspects of breeding and research efforts for soybeans and corn including seed preparation, planting, pollinations, inventory, harvesting field trials, and maintenance of research fields and small equipment.  The ideal candidate will have expertise in industry that will enable optimized processes and maximize the capabilities of the farm operations team.  The candidate can expect a rapid paced atmosphere and will be flexible, show initiative, demonstrate leadership and good judgement to achieve established goals and deliverables.  The position is based at our Wolcott, Indiana site. 

As a Sr. Research Associate, Nursery Operations, you will… 

• Lead or assist with all aspects of field research including seed packaging, planting, plot maintenance, inventory, pollinations, data collection, experimental design, and harvesting 

• Execute and manage associated activities with team members to exceed established deliverables. 

• Collaborate with project requestors to develop an effective strategy to execute and deliver the projects successfully 

• Lead process improvement and optimization experimentation and troubleshooting 

• Assist the team to develop and introduce best practices into all farm operations  

• Work closely with team members to maintain a completely functioning facility 

• Maintain an inventory of supplies used in research program, project future needs  

• Supervisory responsibilities including the training and development of contract employees along with ensuring a safe working environment 

• Operate research equipment as needed. Operation includes both field equipment and lab equipment.   

• Learn and apply all regulatory, stewardship, quality management systems, and environmental health and safety requirements.  

 You Bring… 

• BS degree in plant breeding, crop science, agronomy, horticulture, or related field with 5 years of experience or MS degree with 2 years of experience.  

• Understanding of experimental design and execution of small plot field trials 

• Experience in crop production, field research, or plant phenotyping 

• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and perform multiple tasks simultaneously to achieve team goals 

• Strong written and verbal communication skills 

• Excellent organizational and record keeping skills 

• Ability to work extended hours during the peak planting, pollination, and harvesting seasons in a variety of weather conditions; able to lift 50 pounds 

• A positive and entrepreneurial attitude.  Ability to challenge the status quo to spark improved strategies, methods, and practices in a fast-paced startup environment 

• Energy, self-motivation, ownership and focused execution 

• Curiosity; desire to continuously learn and have a meaningful impact 

• Creative and strategic thinking, willingness to be bold and take risks 

• A collaborative approach, open to giving and receiving ideas, perspectives, and feedback. 

• A strong sense of purpose and drive to develop unique, high impact solutions 

• Adaptability and enthusiasm for new challenges, innate curiosity, and a passion for learning 

• Creative and strategic thinking, willingness to be bold and take risks, and the ability to recognize and learn from failure 

• Ability to work both independently and deliver on responsibilities within a highly collaborative environment. 

• Ability to effectively communicate with a diverse range of individuals and audiences 

• Experience operating research scale field equipment (tractors, planters, sprayers, combines) 

• Experience with PRISM and Microsoft 

• Experience supervising temporary employees. 

Bonus Qualifications 

• Pesticide applicator license (or ability to obtain) 

• Strong mechanical aptitude