Job Description
Posting Start Date:  12/18/25
Offer ID:  1524
Unit:  Hazera
Job Title:  Head of Research & Development (M/F)
Job Location:  Berurim, Made
Contract type:  Permanent
Job Description: 

Hazera is a global vegetable seed company, part of the Limagrain Group - a leader in the Vegetable Seed business with its three business units: Hazera, HM.CLAUSE and Vilmorin Mikado.

R&D is at the heart of innovation and our business success.

Currently, we are looking to recruit the next Global Head of R&D in Hazera.

Job Missions

Your missions will include the following : 

  • Define and execute Hazera’s medium- and long-term R&D strategy in alignment with LVS R&D priorities

  • Set clear objectives and governance for R&D teams to deliver strategic crop priorities and a competitive product portfolio

  • Ensure excellence in breeding, trialing, applied genetics, and R&D operations, while protecting intellectual property

  • Drive the adoption of state-of-the-art breeding technologies, tools, and processes in collaboration with LVS R&D

  • Champion continuous innovation by anticipating market needs, industry trends, and technological advances

  • Ensure efficient program execution with strong interfaces to Production and Marketing, accelerating speed to market

  • Lead and develop global R&D teams across multiple geographies (Israel, Netherlands, subsidiaries), fostering performance, engagement, and talent growth

  • Oversee R&D resource allocation, budgets, and CAPEX prioritization in alignment with strategic objectives

  • Build and manage internal and external research collaborations with academic institutions, research centers, and partners

  • Contribute actively to the LVS Research Leadership Management Team, shaping group-wide R&D strategy and cross-BU synergies

What we expect of you

You are a highly experienced (at least 15 years experience) and inspiring R&D leader with a strong scientific background and a proven ability to translate innovation into business impact. You combine long-term vision with operational excellence and thrive in complex, multicultural environments.

You bring:

  • PhD in Plant Breeding, Agronomy, Plant Science, or Biological Science
  • A strong track record in R&D leadership within the seed industry, preferably vegetable seeds

  • Profound knowledge of Genetics, Biotechnology, Pathology, Molecular Biology, and new tools and technologies
  • Deep expertise in plant breeding, genetics, and R&D technologies and operations

  • The ability to lead large, international, and multidisciplinary teams

  • A strategic mindset with strong execution discipline and a clear focus on results

  • Solid business and financial acumen to guide R&D investments and resource allocation

  • A passion for innovation, continuous improvement, and building high-performing teams

  • Strong decision-making capabilities in complex and evolving environments

  • Excellent communication skills and the ability to influence at senior and group level

  • Fluency in English; additional languages are an asset

You are impact-driven, forward-thinking, and committed to advancing science, people, and performance within a global organization.

Recruitment process

Once your application has been submitted, an acknowledgement of receipt will confirm its receipt.

We will study your profile in relation to the needs of the position and the company.

If your application is selected, the following steps are part of our process:

  • After a prequalification interview, you will meet your manager and HR Director.
  • Then we will ask you to participate into the assessment process.
  • Finally, you will meet the CEO of Hazera, the HR Director and your matrix manager from Limagrain Vegetable Seeds 

Groupe Limagrain is an employer that respects diversity and encourages applications from all backgrounds 

Information at a Glance

Hazera is a global leader in the development of high-quality hybrid seeds. As part of the Limagrain Group, an international agricultural cooperative based in France, we have headquarters in Israel and the Netherlands. With 11 subsidiaries and a vast distribution network in over 130 markets worldwide. We represent a global community of experts and stakeholders, committed to making a positive impact on the present and future of agriculture. We take this responsibility seriously, striving to make a greater impact and recognizing the importance of every seed, person, and partnership.

Limagrain is a global company with deep local roots. Our parent company is an agricultural cooperative based in the Limagne-Val d’Allier plain, in the heart of Central France’s Auvergne region, while we are an international seed and agri-food group with some 9,600 employees working in 53 countries. As the 4th largest seed company in the world, we achieved sales of 2.522 billion euros in 2023-2024, with additional sales of 729 million euros from activities carried out in collaboration with our strategic partners.