Breeder Onion

Location: Made

Research & Development – Plant Breeding | International Program

Location:

Made, NL

Crop focus:  Onion, including the Long-Day onion program, within the wider Allium breeding context.

Reporting to:  Global Onion Breeding Manager / Senior Onion Breeder.

Travel:  Approximately 15–25%, including regular travel for field trials and breeding activities, mainly within Europe and to other program locations as required.

Position Summary
We are looking for a motivated, scientifically curious and practically oriented Onion Breeder to contribute to the development of high-quality, competitive onion varieties within Hazera’s global Research & Development organization.

The role combines hands‑on breeding and field‑trial activities with data analysis, scientific research and international collaboration. The successful candidate will contribute to the development and execution of onion breeding programs, including the Long‑Day onion program, while working closely with breeders, R&D Operations, pathology, molecular breeding, product development, seed production and commercial teams.

Depending on experience, the breeder will progressively take ownership of defined breeding populations, projects, trials and advancement decisions. The position offers a structured development path toward greater independence, with the potential to progress into a Senior Breeder or Onion Breeding Program Lead role.

This position offers the opportunity to develop as a commercial vegetable breeder within a global R&D organisation. The successful candidate will combine classical breeding, field phenotyping, quantitative genetics, molecular tools, data‑driven selection and commercial product development.

Through increasing ownership of breeding populations, trials and projects, the role can provide a clear pathway toward becoming an independent Onion Breeder and, for the right individual, progressing to a Senior Breeder or Onion Breeding Program Lead.

Responsibilities
1. Breeding Program Support and Strategy

Contribute to the development and execution of onion breeding strategies and breeding objectives.

Understand grower, market and customer requirements and translate them into practical breeding priorities.

Participate in defining selection criteria, evaluating breeding material and making advancement decisions.

Progressively take ownership of assigned breeding populations, projects and program activities.

Work with colleagues across breeding, research, product development and commercial functions to translate scientific insights and trial results into practical breeding decisions.

2. Breeding Cycle and Field‑Trial Execution

Plan, coordinate and support field trials in the Netherlands and abroad, ensuring that trials are organised efficiently and conducted according to agreed protocols.

Contribute to key activities across the breeding cycle, including:

Germplasm evaluation and parent selection

Crossing and population development

Nursery management and early‑generation selection

Field selection and phenotyping

Bulb and harvest evaluation

Yield and quality assessment

Disease screening

Advanced breeding trials and multi‑location testing

Selection and advancement of promising lines

Collect, document and analyse trial data, observations and breeding selections.

Develop strong practical breeding judgment and understand the genetic rationale behind selection and advancement decisions.

Contribute to the continuous improvement of breeding, trial and data‑management processes.

3. Onion and Long‑Day Program Activities

Contribute to the development of competitive onion varieties, including Long‑Day onion types where relevant.

Support the evaluation of breeding populations and promising lines under real‑world production conditions.

Participate in selection, phenotyping,…