Seeds Development Trialing Intern

Company Description

Syngenta Seeds is one of the world’s largest developers and producers of seed for farmers, commercial growers, retailers and small seed companies. Syngenta seeds improve the quality and yields of crops. High-quality seeds ensure better and more productive crops, which is why farmers invest in them. Advanced seeds help mitigate risks such as disease and drought and allow farmers to grow food using less land, less water and fewer inputs. Syngenta Seeds brings farmers more vigorous, stronger, resistant plants, including innovative hybrid varieties and biotech crops that can thrive even in challenging growing conditions. Syngenta Seeds is headquartered in the United States.

Job Description

We’re looking for a motivated candidate to be involved with an initial startup team that will help develop an automated plot quality score within our soybean yield trial plots.  You will work with the Aurora Trialing team to understand plot quality assessments while also helping to collect ground notes across 13 different yield testing sites.  Ways of working will include both visual and drone collected field notes.  Additionally, you will work with the Computer Vision team to better understand the software platforms that will automate our plot quality scores.  Lastly, you will help validate data between both the visual and drone applied techniques while providing input on any key learnings or better ways of working throughout this process.  At the end of your internship, you will be asked to compile your learnings and present to our senior leadership team.

As an intern at Syngenta, you will work alongside some of the brightest minds in the industry, and work on real projects finding real solutions. Work with us and you’ll get:

• Competitive wages
• Ongoing career development resources 
• The opportunity to work on meaningful, innovative projects that solve problems
• A culture that celebrates diversity & inclusion, promotes professional development, and offers flexible work options to meet both your work and personal needs.

Estimated Duration: May 2024 – August 2024

You will:

• Learn and adhere to Syngenta safety and stewardship policies.
• Participate in tier meetings, HSE meetings, and other team meetings as needed.
• Opportunity to operate an M300 drone (outlined more in the next section).
• Collect visual field notes based on our internal guides.
• Validate and assess the data sets in an office setting.
• Assigned an office space, laptop, and iPad.
• Provided an F150 for any work travel.
• Will be located at the Aurora, SD Research Facility

Qualifications

• Requires a High School Diploma or equivalent.
• Have or the ability to obtain an FAA Part 107 drone license (Syngenta will pay for it, if do not have your license).
• Must be pursuing a degree that offers courses around Data Analytics.  Precision Agriculture and/or Agricultural Science or Agronomy course background is also preferred.  
• Must have knowledge and skill sets around data analytics.  Knowledge around programs such as Python and/or R is preferred.
• Must have excellent computer skills.
• Must have the ability to communicate in a team environment.  
• Must hold a valid driver’s license and clean driving record.
• All applicants must be eligible to work in the US. 

Other areas of contribution may include:

• A few “key” workflow assignments that pertain to the Aurora site:
• Plot quality collection within our corn yield trial plots.
• Efficacy ratings within our corn and soybean plots.
• Overall field assessments within our corn and soybean yield trial locations.
• Opportunistic data collection within our corn and soybean plots.

Additional Information

Syngenta is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or any other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.
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Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA)(http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/eppa.htm)