Variety Specialist Breeding

How does your job as a Variety Specialist Breeding at Rijk Zwaan look like?

As a Variety Specialist Breeding, you play an essential part trialling the newest varieties that are coming from our breeding departments. Main crops in your job will be from protected cultivation, cucumber, pepper and tomato for example in addition to outdoor vegetable crops. You will support the breeders who are mainly based in Europe by describing the first 2 phases and collecting the information on the tested new varieties compared to standard commercial varietie. Another smaller part of the job is doing trials in phase 3 (demonstration trials), which are pre-commercial trials.

As a Variety Specialist Breeding you will organize breeding trials, evaluate the varieties and collect data at crucial trial stages, providing the breeding team with the feedback. By frequently interacting with breeders and the product development team you will create a deep understanding of current and future needs in the market. This will help the breeding team to define short, medium and long-term goals in breeding projects. You will closely collaborate with Product Development Specialists and Product Development Managers to update them on the current varieties and trials that are ongoing. You will also work with the Station Manager to make a yearly trial plan, the fertigation and the crop protection programs which are necessary on the trials. Together with the Station Manager you will make the weekly plan for the labour needed on the fields and greenhouses. This includes propagation, land preparation, harvesting etc.

Besides, your other activities will consist of:

• organization of all trial data in our IT tools;
• daily guidance and support of Trial Assistant and Assistants Crop Maintenance who work in the station;
• presenting data, trends and conclusions on the trials in presentations.

Your contribution:

You are a proactive team player with strong communication skills and a hands-on attitude. You work in an organised manner and are happy to take initiative. You have good computer skills with Excel, Word and PowerPoint. You like to analyse and are acquainted with IT tools and data analyses. You have a strong product knowledge in indoor & outdoor vegetable crops and are able to take decisions in preparation for the trials. As you will work in international environment, fluent English is required for the role.  

In addition, we can find in your cv the following: 

• minimum Bachelor’s degree in agriculture, preferably in the English section;
• at least 3 years of working experience in similar role.

What can you expect from us?

The Variety Specialist Breeding is a member of Rijk Zwaan Egypt. Rijk Zwaan Egypt is a subsidiary of Rijk Zwaan and we have close to 40 colleagues. On the Trial Station we have 19 people. The sales team consists of about 20 colleagues. 

The atmosphere in the team is professional, open and pleasant where people are encouraged to develop and grow as professionals. We are a united team with a high-team spirit conquering the challenges together and listening to every team-member’s ideas and suggestions.

In addition to an ever-growing international working environment, we are pleased to offer you: 

• a permanent contract;
• an extensive onboarding programme;
• various training opportunities through Rijk Zwaan Academy;
• a good work-life balance.

Rijk Zwaan: your new employer?

Rijk Zwaan is right at the start of the food chain. We develop vegetable varieties and sell the seeds produced from them globally. From our strategic position, we contribute to the world food supply. Everything we do is about growth. The growth of natural products that we export around the world. The growth of our company, which currently employs over 3,900 people in more than 30 countries. And above all the growth of our people: we give you every opportunity to use your own initiative and achieve your full potential.