http://www.ishs.org/jobs

• will be responsible for all operational aspects of Product Biology in professional turf, reporting to the Global Technical Manager Golf and Landscape
• will work with other R&D functions to drive innovation and assure the delivery of development projects
• will liaise with customers and influencers (COI’s) and support Turf Marketing in all technical matters
• will drive and coordinate complex projects in an international, multifunctional environment

main responsibilities include to…

• design Global Development & Technical Business Support plans to deliver objectives established by Lawn & Garden R&D and the Lawn & Garden Leadership Team
• establish and operate a center of Global Technical Expertise
• ensure that the development portfolio reflects appropriate investments to support the Strategic Development and Business Plans as well as new opportunities
• establish and communicate technical product positioning and ensure consistency of positioning with the lead Technical Manager responsible for the active ingredient
• lead global technical development of new active ingredients
• assembling teams to deliver projects as needed
• manage the effective use of field trials and laboratory biology resources in co-operation with R+T
• identify new market opportunities for active ingredients, formulations and the use of technology
• provide expert technical assessment of new technologies and competitor products

The ideal candidate has…

• a University degree in agronomy with a specialization in soil science/weed science/entomology/plant pathology or plant physiology, PhD desired
• knowledge in turf science and management required
• knowledge of the turf grass industry desired
• knowledge in crop protection
• technical project management experience
• a strong customer orientation and enjoys networking with internal partners and external customers

Does this sound like you? If so, file your online application on www.syngenta.com.

Country: Afghanistan
Region and duty station: Kabul (Badam Bagh) and others
Project / assignment duration: 4 months in two assignments, tentatively  end of February – April 2010, August -September 2010
Estimated project start: Ongoing since May 2006
Short project description:
The unique focus of the EU-Perennial Horticulture Development Project is on the production of planting materials to replant and extend the area of perennial horticulture crops in Afghanistan.
The project has five main outputs, one of which is the setting up of a national germplasm collection for perennial fruits and nuts in Afghanistan. The varieties and clones in this germplasm collection are being assessed for their agronomic traits and market acceptance and will be the basis for the education of the extensionists and the farmers about the best varieties, the best growing techniques, and the best production and harvesting methods.
During 2006-2009, the project collected virtually all the commercially propagated fruit and nut varieties in the country as well as a range of imported varieties. Altogether 956 in situ accessions have been identified and ex situ collections have been established for almost all species, with the remaining apple, pear and cherry national collections to be planted out by the end of February 2010.
The germplasm collections are held at six regional research stations of the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock (MAIL).  The whole or parts of the stations working on the perennial horticulture crops are designated as Perennial Horticulture Development Centres (PHD Centres), and also include work on adaptive research, and training and extension. (see also www.afghanistanhorticulture.org)

Job description:
The horticultural expert, shall, with the cooperation of the project team, and by providing leadership to the appropriate local Afghan specialists mainly by:
* Providing technical leadership to six field horticulturists who manage the six Perennial Horticulture Centres
* Ensuring provision of facilities for adaptive research at PHD Centres.
* Turning the germplasm variety collections and demonstration orchards into a reference centre for perennial fruit crops.
* Training the core staff in orchard and business management matters and in technical matters on crop husbandry, such as pruning, trellising, growing system, irrigation, fertilizer application
* Preparing training material and ensure that already available training material will be evaluated and, if needed, adjusted and incorporated.
* Preparing seminars and disseminate the results of the national variety collections and demonstration orchards.
* Providing support at the PHD centres for the implementation of the project strategies for the development of the nursery industry.
* Reporting on all activities in accordance with the Requirement of the client and as indicated by the TL
* Coordinating all activities with other members of the Project Team and Partners

Detailed requirements
Education: Master in Horticulture, or similar with a specialisation in horticulture
Country/Regional experience: Preferably Central Asia, South- or East Asia
Languages: English fluent in writing and speaking
Expertise/Profile:
Hands-on experience in the development and implementation of germplasm collections and demonstration farm for fruit trees as Grapes, Apricots, Peaches, Almonds, Apples, Citrus, Pomegranate, Walnut, Fig and others.
Others: Travel to the Perennial Horticulture Centres will be undertaken only if the security situation allows such and with the necessary precautions.

Contact
Please contact vacancies(at)aht-group.com to express your interest and to send your CV. For further information and direct contact, please call Mr. Servi Nabuurs, tel.: +49 201 2016-284.

The Centre for Urban Greenery and Ecology www.cuge.com.sg of the Singapore National Parks Board www.nparks.gov.sg is currently seeking a Researcher for their tropical turfgrass research program. The successful applicant will work closely with the Senior Researcher to develop and oversee research projects related to tropical turfgrass management and development. Responsibilities include implementing and administering research projects, analysing research data, and supervising personnel. Key areas of focus include evaluation of new turfgrass cultivars and species for tropical use, development of rootzones for high use tropical regions, and development of sustainable management protocols for Singapore and other tropical areas. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Benefits include 18 days annual leave, medical and dental subsidies, sports and recreation facilities and group personal accident insurance coverage.

Qualifications:

• B.S. (B.Sc.) degree in horticulture, agronomy, plant science, botany, or related field from a recognized university. M.S. preferred.
• Supervisory and project administrative skills.
• Good interpersonal skills to work with other research staff and key stakeholders in the public, private and academic sectors.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Experience in plant related research preferred. Experience in turfgrass, landscape, or other plant related industry preferred.

To view this position, please visit this website: http://www.nparks.gov.sg/careers/default.htm

The Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at Universität Hohenheim (Germany) invites applications for the position Full Professor (W3) of “Product Quality of Specialty Crops” at the Institute of Crop Sciences.

The successful candidate will conduct research and teaching in product quality of specialty crops (primarily grapes but also fruit and vegetables). Research should be focused on pre- and postharvest physiology under different environmental conditions and crop management strategies.

The candidate is expected to contribute to the Scientific Centres of the University. Teaching is expected both in German and in English in the study courses of the Faculty. Habilitation or other comparable scientific qualification as well as educational aptitude are necessary to warrant appointment as full professor. The University attempts to increase the number of female scientists and strongly encourages women to apply.

The advertised position is tenured. If appointed as professor for the first time, the university reserves its right to a probationary employment. In case of identical qualifications, severely disabled persons are preferred. Applications including curriculum vitae, documentation of academic achievements and teaching experience, and a list of publications are to be sent to the address below by March 31, 2010.

Dean of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences (300)
Universität Hohenheim
70593 Stuttgart
Germany

To assist in the long-term strategy of innovation and product development, a company is looking for an R&D Project Leader for Bananas, to be based in Switzerland.  The company is a leading global marketer, producer and distributor of premium-quality fresh produce sold under a global brand name. The company employs about 24,000 people.

• The R&D Project Leader Bananas will lead project teams across several business and technology areas. (S)he will be expected to effectively manage resources, schedule and quality of deliverables through the full project lifecycle, work closely with other departments (Sales, Finance, Supply Chain, Marketing, Sourcing, Quality) and retain a holistic view of each project while delivering his/her technical expertise. (S)he needs to be able to define the short and long-term deliverables from a technical point of view as well as facilitate the links with other departments.
• Candidates should have a minimum of a Master’s degree specifically in Post Harvest, and ideally a PhD in Post Harvest.
• Candidates MUST have Minimum 5 years’ working experience with fresh fruit projects post-graduation, in a commercial environment (ie grower, logistics, distributor, ripening facility, etc, not a Research Institute, University or Laboratory). These projects may include ripening, transport, controlled atmosphere packaging, storage, etc, but must have been driven in close collaboration with Sales, Marketing, Finance or Logistics.
• Proven track record in project management.

Please email your CV and motivation letter to:

Paul McHale
Sapiens
Avenue Louise 113
B-1050 Brussels
Belgium
Tel: (+32)-2-660 6656
pm@sapienssearch.com

Driscoll’s is a third-generation, family-owned company founded in 1944.  Our Mission is to “continually delight berry consumers” by providing the highest quality berries in the world.  To do this, Driscoll’s uses traditional plant breeding methods to create plants that produce premium quality berries.  We then partner with independent farmers all around the world to grow Driscoll’s patented berry varieties. Driscoll’s holds significant market share in raspberries, partly due to the investments made in raspberry breeding over the last 30 years.  The raspberry breeding program is one of the company’s greatest assets and the management of it is a critical position to the strategic success of the company.  The program is well-funded and staffed with all the support necessary for success.

Apply Online:  http://www.driscolls.com/about/careers.php or email resume to Margie Way:  margie.way@driscolls.com / (1)831-234-0292.

Title: Head Raspberry Breeder Location: Watsonville, CA (USA)
Job Summary: Develop long and short-term strategies leading to new raspberry varieties for use in production areas in North America, Europe, South America and Australia. Coordinate with DSA Nursery and Research personnel in all geographies on the export of new varieties for trialing.

Qualifications: A Ph.D. in Plant Breeding/Genetics or related discipline with 5 years of plant breeding experience or professional experience that indicates ability to perform required duties. Ability to work as part of a team and collaborate with other scientists in achieving team goals. Passion for the practical side of breeding; working with growers to gain their interest in new varieties.  Excellent organization skills required. Good communication skills with attention to details and accuracy.  Spanish fluency preferred.

Responsibilities Include: Manage raspberry breeding programs worldwide.  Design and implement appropriate hybridization and selection programs to develop new raspberry varieties for fresh markets.  Acquire and develop new germplasm and supervise hybridization, seedling development, selection procedure, and testing of selections then provide data and recommendations to the growers. Collect, analyze and report evaluation data for selections to peers and the DSA growers.  Coordinate with laboratory and nursery on propagation of selections.  Develop basic cultural recommendations for new varieties to determine which varieties should be trialed and where.  Assist in acquisition of Intellectual Property Rights for new breeds.  Report to growers on developments and progress on a regular basis.  Prepare budgets for Raspberry Breeding program and track performance to budget.  Recommend and coordinate research to improve program efficiency.  Other duties as directed by supervisor.

This is a 12-month tenure-accruing position that will be 60% research and 40%, located at the Mid-Florida Research and Education Center, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, at the University of Florida.   
Duties will include conducting research in horticultural economics and developing an extension (outreach) program for clientele in the commercial nursery and landscape industries. The incumbent will be expected to work closely with faculty in the Center for Landscape Conservation and Ecology in areas such as the determination of impacts of horticultural practices, including fertilizer and water use, and policies in the urban environment. The successful candidate will secure external funding to support his/her research program, publish in national and international journals, and thus develop a nationally recognized research program.
An earned doctorate in agricultural economics, economics, or a closely related discipline is required.  Postdoctoral experience is desirable.  Candidates should have demonstrated skills in verbal and written communication, interpersonal relationships, and ability to procure extramural funding.  Candidates must be supportive of the mission of the Land-Grant system.  Candidates must also have a commitment to IFAS core values of excellence, diversity, global involvement, and accountability.  Candidates should possess excellent quantitative skills and the motivation to work in multidisciplinary teams.  Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

For a complete position description and instructions for applying, please see our web page at: http://mrec.ifas.ufl.edu/Announcements/announcements.asp

Horticulture Careers: Your Guide to Courses in Australia 2010 is available from:
http://horticulture.realviewtechnologies.com/?cdn=0&xml=Courses_and_Careers_in_Horticulture

This guide is primarily addressed at school leavers and their advisors, but it is of vital importance to the industry, which regularly raises concerns about filling skills gaps. There is a commentary with some terrific stories about the opportunities in the industry for young people, as well as a 28 page course directory.

The guide is trying to unravel the puzzle of how horticulture studies are provided at university these days. It is not an easy puzzle to solve even if you know the industry well so the authors felt they really should make it clearer for the young people we are trying to attract!

For more details contact Gerard McEvilly, Horticulture Supply Chain Services, Planning, Strategy, Research, Programs, Review
29 Bingara Road Beecroft NSW 2119 Australia
Phone +61 2 9876 1627; Fax +61 409 047 117
gmcevilly@gmail.com

SPECIALTY CROPS GENETICS AND BREEDING:  Assistant or Associate Professor (tenure track), College of Agriculture, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana (USA)

The College of Agriculture, Purdue University, is seeking an academic year, tenure-track assistant or associate professor in the genetics and breeding of specialty crops. The successful candidate will utilize genetic diversity and the tools of modern genetics to establish an internationally recognized, externally funded research program. Research is the primary scholarly focus of the appointment. In addition, teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and mentoring graduate students and postdoctoral research associates is expected. The faculty hire will interact with others working on specialty crops and is expected to develop collaborative multidisciplinary programs.

The position is part of a cluster-hire in the College involving diverse research disciplines and approaches relevant to specialty (vegetable, fruit, and/or ornamental) crops. The position is advertised jointly between the Departments of Botany & Plant Pathology and Horticulture & Landscape Architecture, and this expanded search will consider hiring at either the assistant or associate professor level. The departmental home of the successful candidate will depend on specific research and teaching interests. Questions about the position may be directed to the co-chairs of the search committee: Dr. Ray Martyn, Department of Botany & Plant Pathology <rmartyn@purdue.edu> and Dr. Cary Mitchell, Department of Horticulture & Landscape Architecture <cmitchel@purdue.edu>.

Qualifications: A Ph.D. degree in plant genetics, plant breeding, or related plant-science discipline. Excellent oral and written communication skills are essential. Post-doctoral or equivalent professional experience is highly desirable, as is ability to collaborate and develop multidisciplinary team approaches to solve research problems. Experience in contemporary technologies to enhance genetics and selection programs, phenotypic plant selection, statistical genetics, and/or bioinformatics, will be considered advantageous.

Compensation: Salary will be competitive and commensurate with professional experience. This is an academic year appointment with excellent fringe benefits that include employer contributions to the individual’s retirement program, medical, life & disability insurance, and sabbatical-leave opportunities.

Application: Screening of applicants will begin January 15, 2010 and will continue until the position is filled. Expected appointment will be July 1, 2010. Applications should include a cover letter that includes a statement of professional goals for research and teaching, the candidate’s curriculum vitae with full list of publications, and the names and contact information, including email address, of four references. All application materials should be sent electronically as .pdf files to:

Ms. Colleen Martin, Department of Horticulture & Landscape Architecture, Purdue University, 625 Agriculture Mall Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2010, USA.

Email: martinck@purdue.edu Phone: (1)765-494-1306 Fax: (1)765-494-0391

Visit the web Sites at http://www.hort.purdue.edu/ or http://www.btny.purdue.edu/

The Global Crop Diversity Trust is an international organization whose mission is to ensure the conservation and availability of crop diversity for food security worldwide. The Global Crop Diversity Trust is a unique public-private partnership raising funds from individual, corporate and government donors to establish an endowment fund that will provide complete and continuous funding for key crop collections, in eternity.

The Global Crop Diversity Trust also implements a large programme of activities whose goal is to advance an efficient and sustainable global system of ex situ conservation by promoting the rescue, understanding, use and long-term conservation of priority crop collections. The Global Crop Diversity Trust works in partnership with implementing agencies worldwide to achieve this.

The Global Crop Diversity Trust is located in Rome, Italy, with its Secretariat at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. For further information on the Global Crop Diversity Trust, please visit http://www.croptrust.org/

The recruitment process for this position is being run by Bioversity International on behalf of the Global Crop Diversity Trust. The Global Crop Diversity Trust is now seeking well qualified candidates for the position of: Director of Operations

Working closely with the Executive Director, the Director of Operations will manage overall Trust managerial, governance and administrative undertakings to ensure the organisation remains effective, dynamic and fully functional. In particular, the Director of Programme and Operations will:

1. Contribute to the strategic management of the Trust as an active participant in the Trust’s senior management team. In particular, work closely with the Executive Director in managing Trust managerial, governance and administrative undertakings

• Work with the Executive Director on strategic management and governance issues

• Manage the overall administration of the Trust to ensure effective operations and compliance within existing FAO and Bioversity International operating procedures

• Coordinate and manage the full range of staff and human resource administration related issues

• Oversee the management of the IT and Information Management systems for the Trust

• Manage all Executive Board business as Board Secretary

• Work with the Director of Communications and Development in managing Donors’ Council business

where it interfaces with Executive Board business or governance issues

2. Develop and manage the Trust’s relationship with a wide range of partner institutions

• Manage the long-term grant processes of contracting, implementation and performance reporting

• Assist with relationship management and reporting to donors

• Act as the main focal point for relations with Trust co-sponsors FAO and Bioversity International

• Coordinate responses to unsolicited external requests for information, funding, etc.

3. Coordinate the development and implementation of Programme management policies, procedures and systems in accordance with best practice

• Oversee the ongoing maintenance, monitoring and application of institutional processes for awarding and monitoring performance of grants and reporting to donors

• Manage the maintenance and future development of Trust corporate systems for Project Management Information and Contacts Management (iMAP and eTapestry), ensuring synergies between them

4. Coordinate organisational information compilation and reporting and ensure the ability to evaluate impact and effectiveness in meeting the Trust’s mission

• Oversee information compilation and documentation strategies and implementation

• Oversee the regular monitoring and reporting of all Trust activities including the areas of fixed and long-term grant activities, fundraising, investment management, communications and partnerships

• Further develop and implement the Trust Evaluation Plan focusing on assessment of impact at a range of scales

Qualifications & Competencies:

Essential qualifications and competencies

• Advanced degree or equivalent professional qualifications in science, development, conservation or related fields.

• At least 10 years experience in senior management with a particular emphasis on experience with small organizations, multi-disciplinary teams and high-level Boards, and including substantial experience in an international environment.

• Highly effective management and administrative skills.

• Demonstrated strategic thinking, initiative and decision making in policy development and program delivery.

• Strong understanding of organisational development and development of business and information management systems and demonstrated high performance in delivery of key outcomes.

• Highly effective communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills.

• Proven record in cultivating productive working relationships and demonstrated judgment, flexibility, and responsiveness.

• Personal drive and integrity.

Terms and conditions: This is an internationally recruited position. The Trust offers an attractive remuneration package including a competitive salary, non-contributory retirement plan, medical insurance, housing allowance and leave provisions. All benefits are denominated and paid in US Dollars. The contract will be for a period of three years subject to a probationary period of one year.

Applications: Please apply online through the following link: Bioversity Employment Opportunities Webpage by clicking the “Apply” button. Alternatively, via e-mail to: bioversityvacancy@cgiar.org including a letter of application, curriculum vitae in English (that includes date of birth, gender and nationality) and the names and full contact details of at least three referees (telephone, fax and e-mail address); or via mail to: Human Resources Office, Bioversity International, Via de Tre Denari, 472/a, 00057 Maccarese, Rome, Italy; or via Fax to (39) 06 6118 341 no later than 22 November 2009. Please quote the source of advertisement.

Selection process: short listed candidates will be expected to attend personal interviews for the position in Rome, Italy on or around the 15th of December 2009.

The Trust is an equal opportunity employer and strives for staff diversity in gender and nationality. All received applications will be acknowledged, but only short listed applicants will be further contacted