As the SPR Sunflower Parental Characterization Coordinator, you will be the key technical expert driving parental line characterization and seed production research for Corn and Sunflower in Hungary. You will build and validate Regional Production Instructions, manage agronomic trials, and support Seed Production Planning (SPP) inputs across EAME. Your work directly impacts the quality, yield, and planning accuracy of Syngenta's Hungarian seed production operations.
Accountabilities
- Lead Sunflower parental characterization in Europe
- Analysis of the line potential and of the Genetic x Environment interaction
- Manage the SPP input (reference yield, MVK/ha, recovery rate, TKW, COGS per unit & supply reliability, allocation recommendation) and the Production Instruction (planting delay, density, ratio, harvest management).
- Update and collect the data needed across SPR Europe, to deliver the information for a correct allocation of the Seed Production Plan and area restriction.
- Propose SPR program, for crop of accountability, assigned to each country
- Ensure correct technological execution of trials, Lab analyses and processing of the harvested samples within your country of responsibility in strong conjunction with SPR OPS Lead and production team.
- Provide the inputs and do the creation of experiment & protocols: Idea, design of experiment, execution, analyses and reports.
- Validate reports, statistical analyses and recommendation based on experiments performed by SPR operations or contractors and bibliographic reviews
- Together with regional SPR lead and SPR OPS Lead, provide inputs for the regional budget submission with Finance to establish appropriate resources to deliver the activities.
- Corn & Sunflower Parent Line characterization in Hungary in quality and in time
- Set up representative trial network according to the local production environment through subcontractors and/or Syngenta R&D
- Supervise notations, observations and trial operations of trialing program during the season
- Deliver stage 4 recommendations on lines to breeders and SPR Parent Line Lead for Corn/Sunflower
- Participate to HPC preparation with SPR European team for stage 5 to 6.2/3 candidates
- Support Corn & Sunflower Hungary production team with SPP Input and Production Protocols
- Build Production Instructions, get sign-off from production, follow-up implementation, highlight issues, analyze the performance after the crop season and before the year end
- Visits in season key growing areas in Hungary
- Focus on new varieties ramp-up for Hungary SPP: fisrt protocols & follow-up first 2 years of commercial seed production
- Manage Technical and Technological projects in order to secure and improve Corn & Sunflower seed production yield & planning in Hungary
- Lead Hungarian projects: idea, planning, DoE, execution, analysis and report
- Set up field experimentations : density trial, herbicide trial, maturation, experimental plot & specific trials
- Ensure crop management from soil cultivation to harvest, notations and observations
- Support implementation of new technology in experimentation (data records, phenotyping, imagery...) and production (irrigation, imagery, fertilization, machinery, crop protection...) with support of local agriculture partners (Research Institutes for example)
- Manage SPR Hungarian administration & reporting
- Manage seasonal team & trial subcontractors for activity planning, field and processing activities: training, follow-up and administration
- Reporting to Operations Lead Europe: monthly individual and team update on activity status, regular trials/actions/project status update
Required
Education & Knowledge
- Degree in Agronomy, Biology, or Plant Science with a strong seeds business background.
- Minimum 4 years in a seed production and field experimentation environment.
- Proven experience managing complex technical projects, ideally in cross-functional settings (P&S, R&D, CP).
- Solid understanding of crop and trial management, plant breeding principles, and seed production processes.
- Experience operating independently in a matrix organization.
- Leadership experience with operational teams or demonstrated leadership capability.
- Proficiency in MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint), database management, and statistics.
- Fluent in English (written and spoken).
- Results-oriented, decisive, and self-organized.
- Strong communicator with an open, collaborative mindset.
- High attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple priorities independently.
- Committed to HSE, stewardship, and Syngenta's quality standards.
Location: Budapest or Mezőtúr with willingness to travel frequently
What We Offer
- An environment where every voice matters, professional growth is encouraged, and work-life balance is prioritized
- Comprehensive benefits package tailored to your location along with learning and development opportunities, wellness programs, employee assistance programs, and additional benefits in accordance with local practices
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.
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