Research Center Operations Lead (Nursery and Seed Production) at Corteva Agriscience

Your Challenge:

Operational:

• Manage and accountable for the daily center operations, ensuring on-time completions to meet research and business needs.
• Responsible for all agronomy and research management on site to ensure high-quality products and data for crops planted, including but not limited to planning, field preparation, crop management, regulatory requirements, sampling, pollination, harvesting, packaging and shipping.
• Plan, organize, and direct research operations to ensure the most effective use of assets while meeting research/business objectives; may include, but not limited to the management of:  personnel, equipment, facility and land use.
• Manage research operations through subordinate staff that have full accountabilities for their respective area(s).
• Coordinate leadership team meetings by developing agendas, schedules, and ensuring appropriate follow-ups.
• Effective management of land cooperators and off –site storage.
• Oversee the maintenance and upkeep of the farm, research equipment, and facilities, including off-site storage.
• Accountable for the implementation of research quality management systems on the site, facilitate audit requirements. Ensure Regulatory compliance
• Meet with employees individually to stay abreast of business issues, workload levels, and employee concerns.
• May participate in field activities as determined by specific location needs.
• Manage all contingent/seasonal staff needs prioritizing tasks in collaboration with teams of specialists (agronomy and seed production).

Field Testing Network:

• Contribute to the planning, management and execution of Field Testing activities assigned to the site
• Ensure regulatory and stewardship requirements are implemented and maintained at all times
• Ensure data requirements for all on-station and off-station are of the highest quality and on time.

Tactical Planning (3-12 months):

• Work with research center leadership team to proactively forecast and anticipate work demands, resource needs, and space requirements for both short- and long-term planning.
• Review of operations and fixed projections and implement corrective actions to meet production and budget targets.
• Provide feedback regarding the center’s operating and capital budgets; monitor and manage capacity constraints, labor scheduling, and equipment issues.
• Identify, establish  and implement best practices and ensure these practices are sustained. 
• Monitor and manage capacity constraints, equipment problems, labor scheduling, etc. to ensure research goals are met.
• Identify and resolve problems with help as needed from the local team, Operational Leadership teams and upper management (Logistics Lead, Scientists and EZ Leads, etc.).
• Collaborate with breeders, research scientists, and other specialists to establish and achieve project objectives.
• Analyze, review and maintain high standards of data quality and research integrity throughout all stages of research processes and testing.
• Connect with external vendors and manage relationships as needed.

Teamwork and Employee Development:

• Coach, support and develop employees on their team in a manner that fosters effective collaboration and teamwork, demonstrating and modeling the Core Values.
• Establish and support individual and team performance goals that are attainable and aligned with business strategy.
• Hold employees accountable for achieving performance results and demonstrating work behaviors that promote collaboration and teamwork in an effective manner while demonstrating and modeling the Core Values.
• Recognize and value employees through ongoing recognition of individual and team results.
• Strongly encourage employee feedback and ideas for process improvements.
• Implement and train staff on new equipment, processes, and best productivity practices.
• Guide and coach employees through unforeseen or challenging situations.

Promote a Culture that Demonstrates Core Values While Generating High Quality Results

• Promote health, safety, and environmentally- friendly practices
• Ensure SHE programs are implemented and fully executed
• Foster a positive Safety Culture on and off the job
• Ensure RMS and Management Review is in place and effective.
• Provide oversight of and monitor quality levels through all stages of research processes and testing.
• Ensures that the research facility maintains its social license to operate through community engagement initiatives

Scientific:

• Ensures that all operational practices are agronomically sound
• Work in conjunction with Research Scientist(s) and EZ Lead(s) to establish project goals consistent with business unit goals which reflect internal and external customer needs. 
• Provide management, scientific leadership and creativity when initiating, designing, and executing research within/across projects.
• Remain current on new technology by participating in professional meetings, career development activities and by encouraging others to bring information into research activities.
• May be involved with scientific studies to support breeding programs or processes per the employees interest and skill set (molecular breeding involvement, product advancement, regulated testing, seed production technologies, disease related work, etc.)
• May monitor research progress and meet with participating researchers to identify problems and opportunities impacting the business unit.
• May serve on teams appropriate to cross project research initiatives.

To Grow What Matters, You Will Need

• Master's Degree or Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience in Agriculture Science related field
• 5 -7 years’ experience in field/horticultural operations is required; experience in the seed industry is preferred.
• Strong background in agronomy and plant cultivation
• Strong working knowledge of high intensity plant production environment and nursery management required
• Experience in maize cropping and maize seed production will be advantageous
• Extensive knowledge on pesticides and herbicides would be beneficial.
• Demonstrated management and leadership experience of operational teams is critically required
• Proven ability to make timely decisions, solve problems and build consensus.
• Excellent interpersonal/communication skills are required for fostering teamwork, enhancing a good working environment, and effectively developing strong working relationships with a diverse group of people
• Ability to supervise/handle multiple tasks at one time is critical.  
• Proven ability to make timely decisions and solve problems
• Proven success in outcomes based biological operations
• Strongly self-motivated with the capability to motivate others, initiate projects, make decisions and solve problems while remaining goal/project focused.
• Requires ability to look several months forward to anticipate labor needs, resource needs, space requirements, etc. 
• High aptitude for learning.
• High workload with long hours and weekend work during seasonal peaks which includes frequent visits to field locations including occasional overnight travel, sometimes for an extended period.
• Physical ability to lift 15kg, ability to work outside in all kinds of weather, ability to stand/sit for extended periods. 
• Experience in, and knowledge of, biotechnology regulatory frameworks would be significantly advantageous.
• Experience with irrigation systems and scheduling.
• Technical and mechanical skills for troubleshooting, maintenance and upkeep of equipment, to ensure excellent condition and safety of equipment at any time.
• Proficiency in current MS Office suite with capability to learn proprietary software tools for crop and production management.
• Familiarity with quality frameworks (e.g. ISO/GAP) for compliance with safety regulations, country laws, phytosanitary needs.
• Experience in coaching others to develop and implement SOP’s or protocol will be beneficial.
• Ability to plan and communicate planning will be key to success
• Ability to think strategically while balancing day to day practical needs to ensure execution
• Ability to solve complex problems to meet strict seasonal timelines
• Ability to work outside in all kinds of weather, and after-hours when required (certain chemical applications could fall outside normal operating hours) and the operating environment is determines by crop and biology needs.
• Valid driver’s license is required, current ability to operate agricultural equipment is preferred, capability to learn to operate equipment will be required.