Corn Breeding Scientist

At Corteva Agriscience, you will help us grow what’s next. No matter your role, you will be part of a team that is building the future of agriculture – leading breakthroughs in the innovation and application of science and technology that will better the lives of people all over the world and fuel the progress of humankind.

Come join our NA Research Team in the role of Corn Breeding Scientist.  You will have the opportunity to work with a team of plant breeders to identify, create, and advance superior hybrids to support Corteva’s commercialization pipelines. Ideal locations for this position include Champaign, IL, Macomb, IL, or Miami, MO.

What You'll Do:

Hybrid Creation and Advancement:

• Utilize the latest genomic prediction technologies to create corn hybrids that will fill the needs of the Corteva corn portfolio.

• Develop new strategies to better utilize the depth of Corteva corn germplasm to create commercially successful hybrids.

• Interact and build relationships with other Corn Breeding Scientists to learn and understand inbred germplasm and how to utilize it to create successful hybrids.

• Work with product life cycle teams to understand product needs and use the information to create/advance hybrids to build a successful product lineup.

• Stay informed on new technology deployment and utilize enabling technologies to improve product development.

• Develop and deploy multi-trait selection strategies for advancing hybrids in the product development pipeline.

• Work both independently and as a member of a regional team to deliver products.

• Be an active member of the NASO evaluation zone research team.

Field Evaluation:

• Design optimal hybrid testing strategies to characterize and identify elite combinations that will become successful commercial hybrids for use in the multi-channel pipeline.

• Collect notes and observations related to experimental, commercial, and associated technologies.

• Evaluate inbreds and experimental product performance relative to commercial checks.

• Characterize trait introgressions of key inbred lines and manage transitions to new trait packages when needed.

• Maintain relationships with and coordinate product evaluation activities with the research and product life cycle teams.

• Contribute to leadership of your research center and effectively communicate with other scientists as necessary to ensure the success of all research activities at the research center.

• Extensive overnight travel is required during the growing season.

What Skills You Need:

• PhD in plant breeding or plant genetics (preferred), or Master’s degree in agronomy or related field with 7-10 years of experience.

• An independent, highly motivated, and self-directed scientist is required.

• Comprehensive knowledge and applied research experience in plant genetics or plant breeding.

• Strong verbal and written communication skills and a proven ability to work well in a team environment.

• Experience or familiarity with quantitative/population genetics, meta-analysis, genome wide prediction methods, and other digital breeding methods.

• Basic proficiency with one or more coding languages is preferred (R, Python)

• Experience with field research processes, phenotypic data analyses, and their utilization is essential.

• Strong organizational skills to plan and coordinate experiments across projects and abilities to effectively share results across the organization are required.

• Excellent personal interaction skills required to develop strong internal and external working relationships with a diverse group of people.

• We seek unique leaders who are strongly motivated by the desire to solve scientific questions; who are highly skilled quantitative scientists that excel at deeply investigating phenotypic and genetic information; and who can deliver results in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment.

• Must be able to work in varying ergonomic environments including field activities such as planting, pollinating, harvest, and data collection.

Benefits – How We’ll Support You:

• Numerous development opportunities offered to build your skills

• Be part of a company with a higher purpose and contribute to making the world a better place

• Health benefits for you and your family on your first day of employment

• Four weeks of paid time off and two weeks of well-being pay per year, plus paid holidays

• Excellent parental leave which includes a minimum of 16 weeks for mother and father

• Future planning with our competitive retirement savings plan and tuition reimbursement program

• Learn more about our total rewards package here - Corteva Benefits

• Check out life at Corteva! www.linkedin.com/company/corteva/life

Are you a good match? Apply today! We seek applicants from all backgrounds to ensure we get the best, most creative talent on our team.

This reflects a reasonable estimate of the targeted base salary for this role. This role is also eligible for an annual bonus. Based on factors such as geographic location and candidate qualifications, actual base pay is determined when an employment offer is made.

Corteva Agriscience is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to embracing our differences to enrich lives, advance innovation, and boost company performance. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, military or veteran status, pregnancy related conditions (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), disability or any other protected status in accordance with federal, state, or local laws.