Job Description

We invite you to help us shape the future of agriculture. At Syngenta, we believe every employee has a role to play in safely feeding the world and taking care of our planet. To support that challenge, the Flowers R&D Team is currently seeking a Breeding Assistant Intern in Gilroy, CA. As a Breeding Assistant Intern you will assist the R&D team in performing breeding trials in the greenhouse, lab, and field.

As an intern at Syngenta, you have the opportunity to work alongside some of the brightest minds in the industry, and work on real projects finding real solutions. Work with us and you’ll get:

• Competitive wages
• Ongoing career development resources
• The opportunity to work on meaningful, innovative projects that solve problems
• A culture that celebrates diversity & inclusion, promotes professional development, and offers flexible work options to meet both your work and personal needs

Estimated Duration: May 2024 – August 2024
Salary Range: $18 - $30 per hour

You will:

• Collaborate with breeding team and other R&D team members to perform breeding trials on various topics, including but not limited to,
• Assisting in breeding selections
• Plant reproduction evaluations and coordination of pollination
• Disease resistance screening and rating
• Be responsible for all aspects of data collection, photography, drone data, trial documentation
• Organize photographs and data so information can be interpreted by others
• Assist with breeding trials on ornamental plants grown in the greenhouse and field
• Understand and implement field and greenhouse breeding trials and ensure they are executed according to written protocols
• Manage and monitor daily activities for R&D trialing (e.g., trial setup, crop culture, chemical applications, etc.)
• Be responsible for and prepare reports on assigned projects
• Communicate effectively with colleagues regarding the status of trials, projects, and work activities

Qualifications

• A High School Diploma or equivalent
• Enrollment in a Bachelor’s degree program in Plant Science or another closely related field of study
• Fluent in English
• Knowledge of greenhouse management, production practices and horticultural concepts
• Detail oriented and have accurate record keeping skills
• Able to work independently and autonomously without direct supervision
• Proactive, constructive written and oral communication skills

What you might also contribute to the team:

• Self-motivated, independent, enthusiastic
• Proficient in MS-Office
• Experience with experimental data collection, data entry and organization
• Experience working in a greenhouse or biological laboratory
• Research experience
• Ability to work in cross-functional teams
• Strong computer skills (e.g Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Smartsheet)
• Ability to be discreet with confidential information
• Ability to work on 2 or more projects at the same time

Additional Information

Syngenta is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or any other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
(http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/fmla.htm)
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC)(http://webapps.dol.gov/elaws/firststep/poster_direct.htm)
Employee Polygraph Protection Act (EPPA)(http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/posters/eppa.htm)