Plant Breeding Technician

JOB SUMMARY: Responsible for performing and/or coordinating diverse tasks such as sowing, transplanting, crop maintenance, sanitation, pollination, harvesting, evaluation, record keeping, and seed extraction for the Tomato breeding program. Most activities will be performed at the Florida Research Station at Fort Myers and be conducted in accordance with specific directions and protocols. Occasional local travel required.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES*:

• Review and follow protocols set and approved by the program leader, according to company polices.
• Assists in maintaining greenhouse plants for tomato breeding projects. Duties include sowing, following sanitation protocols, crop maintenance, pollination, seed extraction.
• Check on seedlings in the transplant house and the plants in the greenhouse and make sure they are growing according to industry standards.
• Check on the greenhouses’ irrigation and cooling systems and learn how to trouble-shoot malfunctions.
• Keep track of the field and greenhouse supplies making sure they are available when needed.
• Actively participates in the planning, design, execution, maintenance, evaluation, harvest, and seed extraction on tomato field trials.
• Assists pathology staff on diverse tasks relating to tomato disease screens. Scout the plants in the field and greenhouses for pests and diseases; report findings to the supervisor and field manager.
• Coordinate with the field manager and/or his assistant regarding chemical applications in the field and/or greenhouses.
• Assists tomato breeding staff on seed inventory management, organization, and record keeping. Check the functionality of different equipment as directed and report any problems to the supervisor and farm manager.
• Supervises and assists labor crews with trial set-up, clean-up, and with the maintenance and storage of trial materials and equipment.
• Assists with trial record keeping, data entry, and analysis.
• Oversees and directs contract labor as needed and checks their work quality. Ensure company safety policies are being followed.
• Assists in coordinating and evaluating off-station trials.
• Coordinates with other station personnel to perform weekend greenhouse check-up on a rotational basis.
• Safely operate greenhouse and laboratory equipment as necessary.
• Other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of basic horticulture, biology and/or microbiology.
• Strong desire to learn and improve horticultural knowledge relating to vegetable breeding and plant pathology.
• Ability to perform tasks in accordance with specific, detailed instructions and protocols.
• Good communication skills and ability to work well and coordinate activities with co-workers.
• Must have excellent manual dexterity, spatial perception, and visual discrimination.
• Computer experience with Microsoft Office 365 software desired.
• Ability to perform high quality work with minimal supervision.
• Ability to freely identify and solve basic horticultural/agricultural problems as encountered.

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree in horticulture and/or related field/agricultural experience desirable.
• Agricultural background highly desirable.
• Bi-lingual in Spanish preferred.
• Must have valid drivers license.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Must be able to work under different weather conditions such as extremes of temperature, humidity, and rain.
• Must be able to stand for long periods of time.
• Must maintain good working attitude under above conditions.
• Must maintain accuracy and efficiency while performing tedious tasks.
• Must be willing and able to wear personal protective gear when required and/or necessary.
• Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds on a regular basis.
• Must be able to work with chemicals and other irritating substances using all required PPE

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS:

• Salary: $39,800-$49,700 per year
• Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance coverage for employees and their families
• Basic Life & AD&D Insurance
• 401k program with company match
• Profit Sharing program (via 401k)
• Holiday & Performance Incentive Bonus program
• Paid Vacation: 10 days per year to start, increases with tenure
• Sick Leave: 1 hour accrued per 30 hours worked for first 30 days, 6.67 hours per month after.
• 14 paid company holidays, 2 floating holidays & birthday off
• Paid Family Leave: 15 days after 12 months of service for FMLA qualifying events
• Company provided EAP
• Company provided subsidy for health/fitness clubs & apps

*To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty (as described above) satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

To apply, send resume to HR@sakata.com