Job Description
Posting Start Date:  3/4/26
Offer ID:  1893
Unit:  Limagrain Field Seeds Research
Job Title:  R&D operations manager
Job Location:  Chappes, Longué-Jumelles, Pocking
Contract type:  Permanent
Job Description: 

Function

The Limagrain Maize Breeding organization is expanding, and we are looking for a candidate to join our organization to lead Maize hybrid breeding and testing teams dedicated to the early market segment in Europe. Main geographical area of this segment is France and Germany. Focused on silage maize, this program also deliver Grain Maize varieties. Liamgrain being a market leader in this segment, this position has a high strategic importance for our research and business organization.

 This position provides an excellent opportunity to develop your career working in a multi-disciplinary international highly competitive environment, contributing to development and implementation of ambitious breeding strategies to feed the market needs.

Main Goal

Under the responsiblity of the Head of Breeding program, your main missions are:

Strategy / business orientation:

  • Define the short-, medium- and long-term objectives of the hybridization project and the target portfolio with development and marketing teams.
  • Influence the development of genitors (inbred lines) done by “inbred breeders”.
  • Develop with the available germplasm new hybrids for the market
  • Develop the trialing strategy (short to medium-term)
  • Develop a good understanding of business challenges through interactions with all relevant stakeholders, including competitors, government officials and/or public institute.
  • Lead local collaborations and propose exchanges with public and private partners.
  • Steers innovation in coordination with relevant internal or external stakeholders and maintain a high technical and scientific level in the Maize European team.

Operations:

  • Deliver hybrids fitting your market segment to the product development team.
  • Implement the breeding strategy and manage the hybrid breeding project
  • Decide on crossing plan to produce “pre-application” hybrids.
  • Maintain a high level of trial quality and ensure continuous improvements.
  • Manage and take charge of the assessment of hybrids, visit and score trials and nurseries
  • Develop and maintain expert knowledge of germplasm to understand the usefulness of lines and hybrids across environments
  • Develop and follow germplasm exchange programs with third parties.
  • Analyze all data with appropriate tools and take breeding decisions.
  • Optimize breeding strategy by fully integrating novel technologies available

People Management:

  • Manage testing teams in Longué-Jumelles (FR (49)) et Arras (FR (62).
  • Mentor, coach and develop your team
  • Promote innovation and maintain high technical and scientific level of his / her team.
  • Play a key role in the management of the relevant stations: facilitate coordination with other teams, resources organization and resources sharing.
  • Ensure that all team members follow the company standards (health, safety and environment and other).
  • Develop a strong relationship with the product development team and the local business.
  • Develop close relationship with Maize breeders operating in other programs or other territories as well as other key partners of the Limagrain Field Seed Research organization

Finance:

  • Propose and follow budgets and investments for your perimeter and appropriately justify any deviation.

What we expect of you

  • Master or PhD or equivalent in Plant Breeding and Genetics, or a closely related field, and at least 10 years of relevant experience are required.
  • Strong demonstrated knowledge in plant breeding, quantitative genetics, agronomy and seed industry.
  • Knowledge of the market of the target zone including associated biotic and abiotic stresses, and relevant germplasm base, would be appreciated.
  • Experience as a plant breeder of maize or another hybrid crop in a successful commercial program is highly desirable
  • Ability to use software for data analysis, management, presentation, and reporting; general competence in statistics and data management is required.
  • Leadership skills and experience in managing people and programs
  • Good communication skills within business environment
  • Interest for the international dimension of the job (traveling, working with multi-cultural teams).
  • Good knowledge of French .
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Information at a Glance
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Limagrain Field Seeds, with its international multi-crop LG brand is the global Feld Seeds division of Group Limagrain. Limagrain Field Seeds covers all continents with subsidiaries in over 40 countries and sales in 77 countries. Limagrain Field Seeds supplies LG branded seeds of Maize, Wheat, Sunflower, Winter Rape and other regional crops to all farmers large or small. A strong commitment to progress through technology ensures that plant variety improvements arrive continually from 84 research sites and are adapted for maximum local performance.

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.
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