The fourth-largest seed company in the world.  Limagrain is an international cooperative group created and directed by French farmers.  As a creator and producer of plant varieties, Limagrain markets field seeds, vegetable seeds, and cereal products.

Vilmorin North America, Business Unit of Group Limagrain, a company headquartered in France; specializes in the breeding, production, and marketing of vegetable seeds and tree seeds for professional farmers worldwide.  The diversity within our multicultural teams drives the company’s growth strategy through quality products, expertise, and commitments to excellence.

Purpose:

The incumbent has the responsibility of all research operation activities in the US. The general mission consists includes but is not limited to:

• Managing the research stations in Salinas and Gilroy and all research operational activities
• Managing other research activities in the country such as setting up and keeping up a network of farmers/production growers, universities, institutes, etc., for the research activities of the company.

Through these tasks, the Research Project Manager brings logistical and material support for the breeding teams allowing breeding and experimentation at the research station and in the production areas.

Primary Functions:

• Manage, organize, and coordinate the operations, research trials, and facilities of the research operations in Salinas and Gilroy.
• Oversee all the field, greenhouse, and facility staff of the research stations.
• Oversee all internal and external R&D screening trials within objectives established by the research team.
• Manage the operation resources to optimize efficiency and cost.
• Ensuring that R&D projects are on time and within the budget.
• Establishing effective and productive communication between all local research departments and teams.
• Supervise the on-site growing of vegetable plant breeding nurseries, and other research trials, both in the greenhouse and in the open field, to ensure full agronomic performance for reliable breeding selection.
• Manage the development and maintenance of the station infrastructure and equipment including buildings, laboratories, greenhouses, open field farms, and other affiliated assets.
• Establish local management meetings to ensure the flow of information within the research team.
• Cross functioning with other researchers on breeding projects/experimental programs.
• Effectively collaborate and establish the continuation and expansion of the current and new research programs on an operational level.
• Create, propose, and effectively control the operating expenditure budgets and capital investment plans for the research station.
• Ensuring comprehensive reporting on all the R&D activities and project status on weekly/monthly bases.
• Creating and developing projects and activities database documentation, protocols, and schedules. 
• Managing and supervising pesticide reporting.
• Ensuring compliance with all local rules and regulations.
• Promote a friendly, safe, and productive atmosphere within the research staff.
• Manage and ensure compliance of all applicable regulatory and compliance requirements concerning safety, legal, and environmental regulations.

Contributive Activities:

• Conduct and participate in research operations meetings presenting and promoting the research station and all the operational/breeding activities.
• Ability to work with breeding teams on daily bases.
• Ability to work independently and in a collective setting.
• Ability to manage a diverse team across multiple functions.
• Ability to interact with vendors and suppliers.
• Ability to travel to Yuma on as need bases for trial setup and evaluation.
• Strong knowledge of research operations, agronomy, and greenhouse management.
• Directly involved in the protocol’s evaluation and continual improvements/adaptation in all the aspects of research operations (plant growing, transplanting, pollination, harvest, seed extraction, post-extraction treatment and storage, seed flow traceability reports, distribution, and inventory).
• Actively participating in the fiscal year closing and budget analysis. 
• Operations KPI`s development per activity with a desirable result.
• Responsible to follow up on the audits performed on his parameter and to make or propose appropriate and continual improvements.
• Directly responsible for safety (EHS) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting on a monthly or annual bases (in coordination with his manager and HR department.)
• Directly responsible for managerial safety visits of the team and continual safety improvement.

Qualifications:

• B.S. or MSc in the agricultural-related discipline (agronomy, plant breeding, crop production, farm management, greenhouse management, or related).
• 5+ years of R&D and/or operational experience in the agricultural or horticultural field.
• Understanding of plant breeding or plant physiology and genetics.
• Extensive working knowledge of site management to include facilities operations, as well as demonstrated competency in an open field and greenhouse vegetable production. 
• Leadership and management experience required.
• Strong communication skills.
• Good understanding of the vegetable industry and market.

Skills Required:

• Possess effective leadership qualities and interpersonal communication skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office.
• Proficiency in greenhouse management, open field farming activities, weed, and pest control. fertility management, and water management.
• Good analysis and project management skills needed.
• Able to be outdoors and handle internal and external travel (20-30%).
• PCA or PAC is preferred but not required. 
• Fluency in English is required.

To Apply:  

Send resumes to Careers@vilmorin.com

EOE