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Plant Breeding Jobs (NOW HIRING)

BALL HORTICULTURAL COMPANY

Plant Breeder

Guadalupe, CA

$83K - $120K/yr

Guadalupe, California - R&D Breeding Help shape the next generation of ornamental varieties. PanAmerican Seed, a division of Ball Horticulture Company is seeking a curious, and innovative Plant ...

Ball Horticultural Company

Plant Breeder

Guadalupe, CA · On-site

$120K/yr

Guadalupe, California - R&D Breeding Help shape the next generation of ornamental varieties. PanAmerican Seed, a division of Ball Horticulture Company is seeking a curious, and innovative Plant ...

BALL HORTICULTURAL COMPANY

Plant Breeder

Guadalupe, CA · On-site

$83K - $120K/yr

Guadalupe, California - R&D Breeding Help shape the next generation of ornamental varieties. PanAmerican Seed, a division of Ball Horticulture Company is seeking a curious, and innovative Plant ...

BALL HORTICULTURAL COMPANY

Plant Breeder

Guadalupe, CA

$83K - $120K/yr

Guadalupe, California - R&D Breeding Help shape the next generation of ornamental varieties. PanAmerican Seed, a division of Ball Horticulture Company is seeking a curious, and innovative Plant ...

KWS SAAT SE

Station Technician Champaign

Champaign, IL · On-site

$25.50 - $28/hr

It focuses on plant breeding and the production and sale of seeds for sugarbeet, corn, cereals, vegetables, oilseed rape and sunflowers. KWS uses leading-edge plant breeding methods and invests a ...

Enza Zaden

Breeder

Myakka City, FL · On-site

$77K - $92K/yr

Carry out breeding program activities, including making critical plant and line selections at key stages of the breeding cycle to ensure genetic advancement and program success. * Maintain detailed ...

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How much do plant breeding jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 1, 2026, the average hourly pay for plant breeding in the United States is $22.37, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $16.35 and $25.24 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What Is Plant Breeding?

Plant breeding incorporates traditional methods and modern scientific methods to modify and manipulate plant species to improve crops, food, fuel, plant-based products. The modification is done through processes like genetic engineering or controlled pollination to combine traits and produce the desired phenotypes and genotypes. The process ensures food security and increases the resistance and outcome for plants. It helps plants fight pests, advance crop growth, and sturdiness, and offer a better taste in some situations. The crossing can occur with closely related plants or distantly associated species depending on the traits wanted. Plant breeding has been going on for thousands of years and is practiced worldwide.

What are some typical challenges faced by plant breeders when developing new crop varieties?

Plant breeders often encounter challenges such as balancing multiple desirable traits like yield, disease resistance, and climate adaptability within a single crop variety. They must also manage long breeding cycles, as it can take several years to see the results of their work. Collaboration with agronomists, geneticists, and farmers is essential to ensure new varieties meet market and environmental needs. Additionally, staying updated on advances in biotechnology and regulatory changes is crucial for success in this evolving field.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a Plant Breeder, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Plant Breeder, you need a strong background in genetics, biology, and agronomy, often supported by a degree in plant science or a related field. Familiarity with laboratory equipment, molecular marker technologies, and statistical analysis software such as SAS or R is typically required. Attention to detail, problem-solving skills, and effective collaboration are crucial soft skills in this role. These skills ensure the development of improved crop varieties, successful experimentation, and productive teamwork to meet agricultural challenges.

What is the difference between Plant Breeding vs Plant Genetics?

AspectPlant BreedingPlant Genetics
Required CredentialsBachelor's or Master's in Plant Science, Agriculture, or related fields; often includes breeding certificationsBachelor's or Master's in Genetics, Biology, or related fields; may include genetics certifications
Work EnvironmentResearch farms, laboratories, seed companies, agricultural organizationsLaboratories, research institutions, universities, biotech companies
Industry UsageDeveloping new plant varieties, improving crop traitsUnderstanding genetic mechanisms, gene mapping, and inheritance patterns

Plant Breeding and Plant Genetics are closely related fields. Plant Breeding focuses on developing new plant varieties through crossing and selection, while Plant Genetics emphasizes understanding the genetic basis of traits. Both roles often require similar educational backgrounds and work environments, but their primary goals differ: one creates improved crops, the other explores genetic mechanisms.

What is plant breeding?

Plant breeding is the science-driven process of changing the traits of plants in order to produce desired characteristics. This is achieved by selecting plants with beneficial traits and breeding them to create improved varieties, such as those with higher yield, disease resistance, or better nutritional value. Plant breeding can involve traditional cross-breeding methods as well as modern techniques like genetic engineering and marker-assisted selection. The goal is to develop plants that are more productive, resilient, and suited to specific environments or market needs.
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Plant Breeding jobs near you
Infographic showing various Plant Breeding job openings in the United States as of July 2026, with employment types broken down into 77% Full Time, 22% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 85% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 14% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $46,521 per year, or $22.4 per hour.

Plant Breeder

BALL HORTICULTURAL COMPANY

Guadalupe, CA

$83K - $120K/yr

Other

Re-posted 23 days ago

Job description

Description

Plant Breeder I / II - PanAmerican Seed

Location: Guadalupe, California - R&D Breeding


Help shape the next generation of ornamental varieties.


PanAmerican Seed, a division of Ball Horticulture Company is seeking a curious, and innovative Plant Breeder to join our R&D Breeding team in Guadalupe, California. Reporting to the North American Breeding Director, this position offers the opportunity to develop commercially successful seed-propagated ornamental varieties while working alongside an experienced global breeding organization.


At PanAmerican Seed, breeders work across a diverse portfolio of globally recognized ornamental crops and collaborate closely with experts in pathology, molecular breeding, breeding technology, production, and product management. We invest in modern breeding tools and encourage curiosity, innovation, and continuous improvement to help our breeders deliver meaningful impact. This opportunity creates ownership of breeding projects while collaborating with a global R&D team.


Guadalupe is located on California's beautiful Central Coast, offering a mild year-round climate with easy access to beaches, hiking, mountain biking, and California wine country.

Key Responsibilities

Independently manage assigned breeding projects and breeding activities across multiple seasons. 

Advance breeding populations through crossing, selection, trial evaluation, and data-driven decision making. 

Develop improved varieties/hybrids that meet breeding objectives for quality, performance, and commercial success. 

Contribute to breeding strategy and project objectives in partnership with the North American Breeding Director and Product Management. 

Collaborate closely with Production, Supply Chain, Pathology, Product Management, and other R&D teams to support successful product development and reliable seed production. 

Share technical knowledge with colleagues and support the development of junior team members. 

Represent breeding during internal meetings, grower visits, trials, and industry interactions. 

Travel approximately 25% domestically and internationally to evaluate trials, collaborate with colleagues, and monitor industry trends. 


What Success Looks Like

Successful candidates will:

Deliver breeding progress that supports PanAmerican Seed's product pipeline and long term business objectives

Make sound, data-driven breeding decisions. 

Build strong partnerships across R&D and commercial teams. 

Continuously improve breeding methods and workflows. 

Demonstrate scientific curiosity, ownership, and a commitment to continuous learning. 




Requirements

Required

  • Ph.D., M.S., or B.S. in Plant Breeding, Genetics, Horticulture, Plant Sciences, or a related discipline. 
  • Strong understanding of plant breeding principles, and the application modern breeding tools and technologies to improve breeding outcomes. 
  • Excellent organizational, project management, and problem-solving skills. 
  • Ability to collaborate effectively across scientific disciplines and functional teams. 
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills with both technical and non-technical audiences. 

Preferred

Experience breeding seed-propagated ornamental crops. 

Experience working in commercial product development


Apply