Job Description
Posting Start Date:  2/12/25
Offer ID:  603
Unit:  Vilmorin-Mikado
Job Title:  Head of R&D
Job Location:  La Ménitré
Contract type:  Permanent
Job Description: 

Function

As a Head of R&D at Vilmorin Mikado, you will report to the CEO of Vilmorin Mikado, with a dotted line to the Head of R&D of Limagrain Vegetable Seeds.

Limagrain Vegetable Seeds is the leader of the global leaders of the Vegetable seed business with its 3 Business Units: Hazera, HM.Clause and Vilmorin Mikado, with a strong global R&D community of 1150 R&D employees, 130 breeding programs and a Global Trait & Technologies Services.

The Business Unit Vilmorin Mikado develops 20 breeding programs and lauches every year more than 50 varieties.

 

Main Goal

In this role you will be both :

- Head of R&D Vilmorin Mikado, and member of the Stratcom: executive committee of Vilmorin Mikado

- Member of the LVS Research Leadership Management Team

Job description

As Vilmorin Mikado R&D director:

  • Define medium and long-term Vilmorin Mikado R&D strategy and objectives in alignment with LVS R&D strategy
  • Deliver a competitive product portfolio of varieties while protecting the company's intellectual property.
  • Assure that VMK breeding and operations adopt state-of-the-art technology in collaboration with the LVS R&D to maximize the variety pipeline delivery.  
  • Validate and coordinate research activities within the organization, ensuring alignment with strategic goals, while keeping the right balance between internal programs and outsourcing
  • Establish objectives, procedures, and tools necessary to create a strong base of intellectual property covering germplasm, breeding and operations processes.
  • Drive continuous innovation by staying ahead of industry trends, technological advancements, and market demands.
  • Manage the implementation of programs, ensuring the best path is being chosen and interfacing with production and marketing functions utilizing a "speed to market" approach.
  • Coordinate research collaborations with other internal teams and external partners, maintaining good contacts with national and international centers, universities, and third-party vendors or subcontractors. 
  • Carry out these activities in compliance with country-specific legislation where operations are needed, and in accordance with the company's values including employee well-being, Corporate Social Responsibility.

 

As member of the LVS Research Leadership Management Team:

  • Participate to the definition and evolution of the LVS R&D strategy to strengthen LVS number one position in the Vegetables Seeds industry
  • Active collaboration and alignment among the 3 BU R&D units to create and deliver the best pipeline of traits in the industry and develop state of the art breeding technologies for breeders
  • Participate to the prioritization of R&D resource allocation to support both LVS and Vilmorin Mikado success
     

What we expect of you

PhD in Agronomics and/or Plant Science, Biological Science.
15 years with gradual roles in R&D management, preferably in agribusiness in the vegetable seed sector of the industry with at least 3 years’ experience in equivalent role
Experience managing R&D teams cross cultures and disciplines.
Extended knowledge of genetics, biotechnology, pathology, molecular analysis, genetics, and new tools and technologies.
Extended knowledge of logical research in plant breeding, knowledge of the vegetable seed sector, and understanding of its international markets evolution and demands.

Soft skills:

Result-oriented. Long- & short-term vision. Managerial & leadership capabilities. Ability to collaborate within R&D and Strategic / Marketing teams.  
Speaking fluent English is mandatory, as well as speaking at least basic oral French with a willing to learn French!

Skills

Your benefits and working environment

In this role you will play an active role in the strategy of the number 1 in vegetable seeds, encouraging teams to be even more innovative!

The role is based in La Ménitré, 30km from Angers (France).
It requires around 40% of global business trips.

Recruitment process

Once you have submitted your application, you will receive a confirmation of receipt.
We will study your profile in relation to the needs of the position and the company.
If your application is successful, the following stages are part of our process: after a pre-qualification interview, we will ask you to complete personality inventories and reasoning tests which will serve as the basis for an interview with the Group Talent Department.
You will then meet the CEO of Vilmorin Mikado and the Head of R&D of LVS.

Groupe Limagrain is an employer that respects diversity and encourages applications from all backgrounds.
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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 an agricultural cooperative and an international seed group owned by 1,300 farmers located in Auvergne (in the center of France). Present in 49 countries and with 9,335 employees, the Group breeds, produces and distributes field seeds, vegetable seeds and agri-food products. Focused on the genetic progress of plants, Limagrain is the fourth largest seed group worldwide.
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