This role, reporting to the Head of Oilseeds Research at LFS, involves the coordination of Sunflower Research Programs across Europe and Russia. Key responsibilities include:
Research Coordination
- Manage the European and Russian sunflower research budget, reports, and technical updates.
- Participate in defining the short, medium, and long-term European sunflower breeding strategy in close coordination with Soltis.
- Participate in defining of the research portfolio of the breeding programs in collaboration with the development and marketing teams in Europe and Russia.
- Participate in the Sunflower Crop team.
- Lead Research in Crop and Product review committees.
- Coordinate the relationship between Soltis & Semlima, ensuring contractual obligations while maintaining speed and efficiency, in coordination with the LFS Europe Research Head.
- Coordinate LFS trial services in Europe and Russia for Soltis, in coordination with the Head of LFS Europe Research.
- Coordinate trait research activities across Europe and Russia, such as disease resistance and herbicide tolerance.
- Participate in Soltis Scientific, Operational committees and Attribution meeting and participate in Soltis Research Working Groups.
- Develop a deep understanding of the business by interacting with relevant stakeholders, including competitors, regulators, and public institutions.
Research Operations
- Visit and follow up on nurseries and Research, synthesizing key indicators of field results, including Soltis & Semlima and LFS germplasm. This includes agronomic performance, diseases, quality evaluations.
- Participate in Product Development trials visit.
- Coordinate the exchange of Soltis hybrids among Europe, Argentina and South Africa.
- Coordinate seed exchanges between Soltis and Semlima including quantities, protocols, and phyto products.
- Verify contracts and legal restrictions when accessing or moving genetic material across Europe, Argentina, South Africa, Soltis, and Russia.
- Manage, in tight coordination with the Germplasm Officer, the registration and protection of lines and hybrids.
- Participate in updating the LEAVES database in coordination with the Germplasm Officer.
- Ensure compliance with LFS germplasm rules and FTO requirements.
- Contribute to the communication of needs and results with the Head of Research for LFS Europe.
- Administrator of Sunflower PLOTS tool
- Participate in and follow up with the working group to build a strong interface between the internal Native Trait Team and Innolea.
- Represent sunflower at scientific conferences and in inter-professional institutions.
Finance & Administration
- Coordinate and consolidate the inputs required for budget, forecast and MTP.
- Coordinate sunflower research portfolio, including technical reports.
- Propose priorities for resources allocation among the European breeding programs.
- Complete Research Portfolio KPIs.
- Education: An MSc or PhD, or considerable experience in breeding
- Experience: Significant experience in plant breeding and management. Experience in sunflower research.
- Skills: motivation to bring innovation to market, result oriented, open communication, make decisions based on financial & business analysis
- Leadership: Be a role model, prepare the organization for the future, anticipate the need for change, and contribute to the evolution of the company rules & policies
- Cultural Competence: Embrace other cultures & diversity
- Principles of Action: Respect, Accountability, Collaboration, and Entrepreneurship
- Values: Boldness, Progress, Perseverance, and Cooperation
