Senior Principal Technician –Breeding

Plant breeding represents a critical element of Mars South East Asian Cocoa Strategy and is a key pillar of the evolving high productivity farming system. This position supports the field based breeding program at MCRS Pangkep which seeks to select high performing clones that will form the genetic foundation of the high productivity farming system. It also interacts closely with the DNA and Quality laboratory at Makassar which supports the broader Mars breeding program.

Key Responsibilities

Provide leadership and have accountability for the plant breeding activities at MCRS Pangkep including:

• Ensure that all breeding trials are aligned with the objective of developing the South East Asian High Productivity Farming System objectives.
• Ensure that all trials are conducted efficiently and with high scientific rigor.
• Ensure that all data is collected in a manner that is timely, consistent and according to established and agreed protocols.
• Ensure that your team is engaged and the outputs of their work are high quality.
• As required, analyze and interpret data, provide it to the lead researcher, the database and bioinformatics leader, and the relevant breeding team members in Davis, CA.

Partner with the Agronomy and fertigation teams at MCRS Pangkep to ensure that:

• Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) techniques and implementation timing are used in the maintenance and upkeep of all breeding experiments. These activities include agronomy, pruning, pest and disease management, irrigation, and fertigation.
• A dynamic approach to management is taken to all agronomic practices being mindful of crop needs, crop phenology, and emergent issues.

Proactively communicate with the Genetics & Breeding research leads, LM and other global team members by:

• Providing progress reports on a monthly basis or other frequency as negotiated.
• Suggesting research gaps and ways in which data collection can be made more efficient and focused without loss of rigor.
• Troubleshooting issues and challenges as they present themselves.

In a functional capacity, assist in the recruitment, management and development of associate technicians and contractors to work in the field and related laboratory environments as it relates to plant breeding.

Support the MCRS Site Manager and Engineering and Operations Manager by:

• Providing expenditure reports and proposed budget.
• Providing updates on any issues/risks, requirements, and recommended solutions on a daily basis.
• Contributing to the capability training and engagement for the breeding team and laboratory staff.

As required, maintain and provide Material Transfer Agreements for the acquisition of various biological and research materials, and occasionally, data, developed by nonprofit, government and private industry.

Maintain an up-to-date understanding of relevant literature, research, and fieldwork to ensure that best practice methods are being used and that all research is contemporary in nature.

Develop and maintain constructive relationships with plant breeders.

Present scientific findings and functional overviews as required.

Work closely with the Safety lead at MCRS Pangkep and Makassar to ensure a safe workplace.

Education & Professional Qualification

• Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture / plant breeding or related field of study.
• Masters degree or PhD preferred.

Knowledge/ Experience

• Ability to lead a large team in an efficient and effective manner ensuring high quality outputs and an engaged workforce under time constraints.
• At least 5 years of experience with conventional methods as they relate to plant breeding.
• Experience in cocoa research or with a variety of field concepts, practices, and procedures.
• Experience in creating the layout of a breeding trial, data collection using a tablet and a manual, data compilation, preliminary data analysis, and technical report writing.
• Knowledge in identifying and recommending the best cross based on the data and in the field.
• Knowledgeable about field management and cocoa agronomy in terms of Good Agriculture Practices (GAP), pest & disease management, and soil fertility is an added advantage.

Skills

• Demonstrated ability to take risks and challenge the status quo.
• Good business negotiation and influencing skills. Must have effective oral and written communication skills and be able to articulate thoughts and ideas to others.
• Active listening skills – able to communicate effectively with superiors and subordinates.
• Computer literacy skills such as Excel, Word, PowerPoint and TEAMS. Knowledge on statistics is an added advantage.
• Supervisory skills.
• Presentation and technical report writing skills.
• Comfort around handling high demands and tight timelines.
• Proficient English language skills in speaking and writing to communicate with global visitors and internal customers.