Job Description
Posting Start Date:  8/12/25
Offer ID:  1228
Unit:  Vilmorin-Mikado
Job Title:  America Unit Research Operations Manager
Job Location:  Gilroy
Contract type:  Permanent
Job Description: 

Function

Position: America Unit Research Operations Manager

 

Main mission:

As America Unit Research Operations Manager, The ideal candidate will manage and coordinate all the Research Operational activities of the AMERICA Unit (AMU) including research stations, to provide an effective environment of coordination and cooperation, which will ensure the success of the breeding and support scientific programs in the AMU.

This role is responsible for sourcing, evaluating, and planning the development and execution of all activities related to research and objectives within the America Unit.

 

Main Goal

Main mission:

As America Unit Research Operations Manager, The ideal candidate will manage and coordinate all the Research Operational activities of the AMERICA Unit (AMU) including research stations, to provide an effective environment of coordination and cooperation, which will ensure the success of the breeding and support scientific programs in the AMU.

This role is responsible for sourcing, evaluating, and planning the development and execution of all activities related to research and objectives within the America Unit.

 

  • Responsible for managing, preparing, and proposing balanced Budget and Forecast for the America Unit research operations
  • Responsible for proposing and managing CAPEX for AMU research operations and part of Global Research effort
  • Manage the training and development of the direct reports including career path development

Job description

Essential duties and responsibilities:

  • Responsible for coordinating, organizing, and managing the research operation activities and facilities of the AMERICA Unit located in the US, Mexico and Brazil.
  • Member of the AMU committee, ensuring that the overall research operations of the AMERICA research sites are in alignment and directly supporting Vilmorin-Mikado and AMU roadmap, strategy, and essential projects.
  • Actively participating in the meetings with the breeder managers and laboratory managers for crops related to AMU assuring that the related goals, strategy, and performance of each breeding program link to the AMU are achieved.
  • Strong development of collaboration with Universities, USDA and other entities to support AMU research overall goals
  • Manage the development and expansion of the Americas research stations within the budgetary and investments guidelines.
  • Routinely meet with direct reports to assess the progress of the business, creating action plans for resolving any negative issues.
  • Develop and manage the Key Performance Indicators for each research site in AMU
  • Develop strategic plans and programs, set targets to improve research operations to ensure maximum output.
  • Drive team performance while improving operational efficiencies. Implementing and cultivating collaborative atmosphere with LVS sister BU`s and withing AMU research site.

What we expect of you

Education and Experience:

  • Master`s degree in agricultural or related discipline
  • 2+ years of academic or R&D operational experience withing a complex organization in the agricultural or horticultural field
  • Proven working knowledge of project or site management
  • Good understanding of local and national regulatory issues in seed industry
  • Experience with planning and forecasting highly desirable
  • Fluent in English
  • Spanish, French and Portuguese a plus

 

Skills

Accountability
Budgets/Cost Control
Collaboration
Creativity/Innovation
Decision Making/Judgment
Leadership
People Development
Managing for Results
Project Management
Team Leadership

Your benefits and working environment

Benefits: Company offers a competitive total compensation package along with medical benefits.

Job Scope

  • Reports to:                  Global Research Operations Director

 

  • Internal relations:        Colleagues within Vilmorin-Mikado

LVS Research Colleagues  (HMC and Hazera)

Human Resources and Legal Departments

 

  • External relations:       Federal, State and City Agencies, Auditors,

 

Travel:

  • Occasional travel as needed to various national and international locations including but not limited to Mexico, Brazil, and Europe.
  • Travel to subisdiaries within the America Unit atleast twice per site or as frequent as needed.

Location:

  • Gilroy, California - USA

Recruitment process

The process will require various interviews either in person or via 'Teams'.
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Information at a Glance
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Vilmorin-Mikado is a Franco-Japanese seed producer that has specialized in creating, producing, and selling vegetable seeds for professionals since 1743. As a responsible partner in the vegetable food chain, Vilmorin-Mikado is committed to helping better nourish people everywhere. Our wide range of unique, original seeds is distributed on five continents in more than 100 countries. Vilmorin-Mikado has more than 1,000 employees and recorded sales of €230 million in 2022-2023, of which 15% was entirely devoted to research. World leader in carrots and witloof chicory, Vilmorin-Mikado is also a major player in salads, tomatoes, sweet peppers, kabocha squashes, daikon radishes and bunching onions. Nearly three centuries ago, Vilmorin-Mikado's founders began our Tree Seeds work, which actively contributes to rebuilding sustainable forests.

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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