About the Opportunity

As a member of the Global Breeding team, the Research Associate – Blackberry Breeding is responsible for supporting the Summer Production blackberry breeding program in Watsonville, CA in its development of improved blackberry varieties. This position will test, evaluate, and select adapted germplasm in the Watsonville research farms, working closely with the Summer Production Blackberry Breeder to ensure successful trialing through the preparation for planting and data collection, coordination of harvest and postharvest activities, and assistance with data reporting. In addition, this position will also support the Global Director of Blackberry Breeding and global blackberry breeding trials by providing centralized oversight and management of selection advancement, nursery coordination, and governance of global data collection and reporting. This position will require someone who is independently driven and a multitasker with excellent attention to detail.

 

Responsibilities

Watsonville Breeding Assistance: 
•    Works cooperatively with the Summer Production Blackberry Breeder and Research Farming staff in the planning, establishment, mapping, labeling, and maintenance of research farm breeding trials in California, North Carolina, and the Pacific Northwest 
•    Prepares, updates, and tracks test agreements and plantings with growers hosting applicable breeding trials 
•    Evaluates breeding selections for horticultural characteristics and post-harvest performance 
•    Plans, supervises, and performs post-harvest evaluations, including but not limited to flavor testing, shelf-life evaluations, shipping evaluations, reversion measurements, and brix/TA evaluations, as necessary 
•    Coordinates with Research Farming and staff in the management of devices, user accounts, and database access for yield data collection 
•    Serves as the primary point of contact for Watsonville blackberry breeding shipping logistics 
•    Occasional regional and domestic travel to visit and evaluate breeding research trials and breeding observation trials; contributes as needed in the preparation of annual breeding summaries and research reports 
•    Hosts occasional visits to the test plot, representing the Summer Production blackberry breeding program to students, visitors, growers, and other regional stakeholders 
•    Collects necessary patent data for commercial variety release, as required 
•    Assists with phenotyping evaluations and projects, as needed 
•    Supervises breeding seasonal technical staff, if applicable 
•    Perform other duties as instructed by the Summer Production Blackberry Breeder 

Global Breeding Coordination: 
•    Working closely with district breeders and variety development managers, tracks drops and advancements in each district to maintain updated status in the Selection Status Dashboard 
•    Based on a thorough understanding of each trial site’s needs, works cooperatively with district breeders, variety development managers, and the Global Director of Blackberry Breeding to plan and align nursery orders with breeding trial plans; serves as a primary point of contact between blackberry breeding and the breeding nursery 
•    Assists regional breeders and variety development managers in the curation, reporting, and visualization of breeding database data to generate summary reports and production curves, guiding advancement and drop decisions 
•    Serves as a global point of contact for blackberry harvest, postharvest, field setup, and other core breeding program SOPs, onboarding and training team members as necessary 
•    Occasional domestic and international travel to global blackberry breeding trial sites as well as global breeding nursery locations 
•    Performs other duties as instructed by the Global Director of Blackberry Breeding

General Responsibilities: 
•    Ensures the confidentiality of Driscoll’s financial, proprietary, and employee information 
•    Represents Driscoll’s in a manner that demonstrates Driscoll’s Mission and Values in all interactions, internally and externally. 
•    Maintains a safe and professional office and other work-related areas 
•    Promotes a positive work environment 

   

Candidate Profile

•    BS degree in Horticulture or Agronomy with 3-5 years of experience in Plant Breeding or a related field. 
•    Must be disciplined, self-motivated, with very strong organizational skills and attention to detail 
•    Must have strong verbal/written communication skills and the ability to successfully manage remote collaboration with teams at other R&D sites 
•    The ability to successfully work independently as well as with a diverse cross-cultural team 
•    Ability to exercise fl