Assistant Plant Breeder

Assistant Plant Breeder

Location:

Salinas, CA Department:
Research & Development Position Type:
Full-Time, Exempt

Duda Farm Fresh Foods is seeking an innovative and highly motivated Assistant Plant Breeder to join our growing Research & Development team. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to a large, international breeding program focused on vegetable crops including celery, radish, kale, collards, cilantro, and other specialty crops.

Reporting to the Vice President of Research & Development, the Assistant Plant Breeder will play a key role in advancing breeding initiatives, developing improved commercial varieties, and supporting research projects that impact every stage of the production cycle. The successful candidate will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams, including production, harvest, and processing operations, while gaining hands‑on experience in both traditional and modern plant breeding techniques.

• Assist in the planning, coordination, execution, and evaluation of breeding and research trials.
• Collect, organize, analyze, and interpret breeding and field trial data.
• Participate in variety development activities, including plant selection, crossing, evaluation, and advancement of breeding lines.
• Maintain accurate breeding records, databases, and trial documentation.
• Support seed production, breeding cage operations, isolation trials, and seed harvest activities.
• Prepare technical reports, presentations, and summaries of research and breeding results.
• Collaborate with production, harvest, processing, and research teams to evaluate crop performance and quality attributes.
• Contribute to the implementation of modern breeding technologies and tools, including marker-assisted breeding, genomic selection, and other emerging methodologies.
• Travel to trial locations and research sites as needed.

• Master’s degree required in Plant Breeding, Agronomy, Horticulture, Biology, or a related field.
• Ph.D. preferred.

• One or more years of experience in plant breeding, agricultural research, field trials, or related agricultural responsibilities.
• Strong data collection, analysis, and recordkeeping skills.
• Experience with Microsoft Office applications; proficiency with Excel preferred.
• Familiarity with database management systems is a plus.
• Knowledge of plant breeding principles, experimental design, and statistical analysis.
• Laboratory and research experience preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team.

• Valid driver's license required.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed.
• Ability to work in diverse environments, including office, laboratory, greenhouse, warehouse, cold storage, and field settings.
• Bilingual skills are a plus but not required.

At Duda, innovation and agriculture come together to create sustainable solutions for the future of fresh food. You'll have the opportunity to work alongside industry-leading researchers and contribute to meaningful projects that directly impact the development of improved vegetable varieties for commercial production around the world.

We offer a collaborative environment, opportunities for professional growth, and the chance to make a lasting impact within a respected agricultural organization.