Research Associate-Sweet Corn

Illinois Foundation Seeds - Arlington, WI

Full-time - Entry Level

Arlington, WI

Administration of Economic Programs

About the position

The Research Associate for Sweet Corn at Illinois Foundation Seeds Inc. (IFSI) is a vital role focused on supporting the breeding, evaluation, and development of superior germplasm for the global vegetable seed market. This position emphasizes collaboration, integrity, and excellence, aligning with the company's core values. The role involves hands-on management of breeding activities and data collection to enhance the sweet corn research program in Arlington, WI.

Responsibilities

• Organize and lead activities in the breeding nursery in Plover, WI, including nursery design and seed preparation.
• Coordinate fertilizer, herbicide, and field management of nurseries and trials with third-party cooperators.
• Lead the collection and summary of disease resistance data in the breeding nurseries.
• Oversee tissue sampling and obtain necessary phenotypic data for marker-assisted breeding projects.
• Execute research project protocols, generate high-quality data, and assist in the interpretation and communication of results.
• Ensure all tasks are completed safely, accurately, and efficiently, leading process improvements.
• Assist in the hybrid evaluation process through collection of phenotypic data in hybrid trials and interpretation of results.
• Participate in product advancement decisions.
• Oversee operation, maintenance, and repair of research equipment.
• Support the production and product teams across the vegetable business unit.

Requirements

• M.S. Degree or B.S. Degree with equivalent experience in Horticulture, Crop Science, Plant Breeding and Genetics, Agronomy, or a related field.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and possess good team leadership and management skills.
• Excellent computer skills for data acquisition and reporting.
• Attention to detail and accuracy in all activities.
• Ability to analyze and interpret data.
• Ability to travel to contra-season nursery locations and various hybrid trial testing locations.
• Ability to work extra hours and on weekends as needed.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a pesticide applicator's license.

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in leadership roles.

Benefits

• Salary commensurate with experience
• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Long-term disability (LTD)
• Short-term disability (STD)
• 401(k)