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Vegetable Breeding Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Limagrain

Global Breeding Director (M/F)

Davis, CA · On-site

$180 - $280/hr

CLAUSE R&D Global Management Team (GMT) and the Limagrain Vegetable Seeds Breeding Application Strategy Team (BAST), ensuring HM.CLAUSE's scientific excellence is visible and impactful at Group level.

New

Syngenta

Operation Specialist - Field

Woodland, CA

$64K - $96K/yr

Company Description SyngentaAt Syngenta Vegetables and Flowers, we're cultivating tomorrow's diversity through innovative breeding that brings vibrant colors to gardens and nutritious vegetables to ...

Limagrain

R&D operations employee

Gilroy, CA · On-site

$72K - $78K/yr

Permanent Company Introduction Hazera is a global leader in the vegetable seed industry, bringing ... breeding advancement decisions. It aligns trial activities with local conditions and market needs ...

Nacre Capital

Operations and Sales Intern

Salinas, CA · On-site

$16.50 - $21.50/hr

Direct exposure to or experience within the vegetable seed industry (e.g., seed sales, crop protection, breeding support) or the broader AgTech sector is a significant advantage. * Tech Savviness:

Nacre Capital

Operations and Sales Intern

Salinas, CA · On-site

$16.50 - $21.50/hr

Direct exposure to or experience within the vegetable seed industry (e.g., seed sales, crop protection, breeding support) or the broader AgTech sector is a significant advantage. * Tech Savviness:

Nacre Capital

Operations and Sales Intern

Davis, CA

$16.50 - $21.50/hr

Direct exposure to or experience within the vegetable seed industry (e.g., seed sales, crop protection, breeding support) or the broader AgTech sector is a significant advantage. * Tech Savviness:

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Showing results 1-20

All JobsVegetable Breeding JobsVegetable Breeding Jobs in California

Vegetable Breeding information

See California salary details

$24.7K

$68.5K

$97.7K

How much do vegetable breeding jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 8, 2026, the average yearly pay for vegetable breeding in California is $68,507.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $38,000.00 and $92,800.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in vegetable breeding, and why are they important?

To thrive in vegetable breeding, a strong background in plant biology, genetics, and agronomy is essential, usually backed by a relevant degree such as plant science or horticulture. Familiarity with molecular marker technologies, laboratory equipment, and data analysis software is highly beneficial, and certification in plant breeding or agronomy is often valued. Attention to detail, problem-solving abilities, and strong collaboration and communication skills help professionals excel in cross-functional teams. These competencies are crucial for developing improved vegetable varieties that meet agricultural, environmental, and consumer needs.

What is vegetable breeding?

A Vegetable Breeding job involves developing new vegetable varieties with improved traits like yield, disease resistance, taste, and shelf life. Breeders use traditional crossbreeding techniques and modern genetic tools to enhance plant characteristics. They work in research institutions, seed companies, or agricultural organizations to ensure better crops for farmers and consumers. The role requires knowledge of plant genetics, horticulture, and field trials to test new varieties.

What are the typical daily responsibilities of someone working in vegetable breeding?

As a vegetable breeder, your typical day involves planning and conducting crop trials, collecting and analyzing plant data, and selecting parent plants for crossing to develop improved varieties. You'll spend time both in the laboratory analyzing genetic traits and in the field evaluating plant performance under different conditions. Collaboration is frequent, as you’ll work closely with agronomists, pathologists, and production teams to ensure breeding goals align with market and environmental needs. Documenting findings, managing breeding records, and staying updated on the latest research are also important parts of the role. This dynamic mix of field and lab work ensures continuous innovation in developing vegetables with desirable traits.

What are popular job titles related to Vegetable Breeding jobs in California? For Vegetable Breeding jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Vegetable Breeding jobs in California look for? The top searched job categories for Vegetable Breeding jobs in California are:
Vegetable Breeding jobs near you
Infographic showing various Vegetable Breeding job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 73% Full Time, and 27% Part Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $68,507 per year, or $32.9 per hour.

Global Breeding Director (M/F)

Limagrain

Davis, CA • On-site

$180 - $280/hr

Other

Posted 3 days ago

New

Job description

Job Title: Global Breeding Director (M/F)

Job Location: Davis

Contract type: Permanent

About the Role

As Global Breeding Director, you will be a key executive leader at the heart of HM.CLAUSE's R&D strategy. You will define the medium- and long-term breeding execution plan, lead a global, multidisciplinary team across three regions (EMEA, AMPA, and Asia), and drive the timely creation of winning, innovative vegetable varieties that reach growers' hands. This role sits at the intersection of science, strategy, and people – requiring you to lead with vision, collaborate across functions, and embrace the complexity of a truly global organization.

You will be a core member of both the HM.CLAUSE R&D Global Management Team (GMT) and the Limagrain Vegetable Seeds Breeding Application Strategy Team (BAST), ensuring HM.CLAUSE's scientific excellence is visible and impactful at Group level.

Main Goal

Strategic Leadership

  • Define and implement HM.CLAUSE's global breeding roadmap, aligned with LVS strategy and business priorities.
  • Contribute as a member of the R&D Global Management Team (GMT) and the HM.CLAUSE Leadership Team.
  • Lead the Breeding Leadership Team (BLT) and translate company and crop strategies into concrete breeding strategies.
  • Represent HM.CLAUSE's breeding function in the LVS Breeding Application Strategy Team (BAST), driving cross-BU synergies and harmonization.

Breeding Excellence & Innovation

  • Establish and oversee global breeding analytics, metrics, and continuous improvement frameworks across all crop programs.
  • Champion data-driven breeding.
  • Lead the R&D Trial Specialist organization to ensure robust, data-based decision-making in alignment with global crop priorities.
  • Ensure best-in-class germplasm stewardship, including compliant seed movement, FTO, Nagoya compliance, and seed health management.

People & Organization

  • Build and lead a high-performing, globally distributed breeding organization; develop future R&D leaders.
  • Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and innovative team culture that unlocks the potential of every team member.
  • Manage and develop the direct leadership team
  • Drive succession planning, performance management, and talent development across the breeding function.

Cross-functional Collaboration & Partnerships

  • Collaborate closely with AGS, R&D Operations, Portfolio & Innovation, and commercial teams to deliver an integrated R&D approach.
  • Coordinate strategic research partnerships with universities, national and international research centers, and external partners.
  • Interface with production, sales, and marketing functions with a speed-to-market mindset.

Financial & Resource Management

  • Develop and track annual budgets for the Breeding and Trial Specialist teams, with a strong focus on ROI and business alignment.
  • Lead cross-crop investment strategy and resource allocation decisions.
  • Promote quality standards and Plant Health, Safety & Environmental practices at all R&D sites.
Your profile

What you bring

  • Master's degree or higher in Plant Breeding, Genetics, or a related life science discipline.
  • At least 10 years of experience in plant breeding roles, including a minimum of 4 years in a senior R&D leadership position.
  • Deep expertise in vegetable breeding, with a solid understanding of contemporary breeding technologies: genomics, molecular markers, digital phenotyping, AI-assisted selection.
  • Proven track record of leading large, multicultural, geographically distributed teams to high performance and business delivery.
  • Strong scientific acumen combined with business and financial literacy.
  • Excellent communication and influence skills; fluent in English (French or Spanish a plus).
  • Ability to travel internationally up to 35% of the time.

Who you are

  • A collaborative leader who knows how to build trust across organizational boundaries – within the BU, across LVS, and with Group Limagrain.
  • Agile in managing complexity: you navigate the BU/LVS agenda with ease and keep teams aligned and motivated.
  • A genuine change agent: you challenge the status quo constructively, inspire teams to evolve, and lead with curiosity and courage.
  • Deeply people-oriented: you coach, develop, and bring out the best in others, especially across diverse cultural contexts.
  • A strong voice in scientific and strategic discussions, with the humility and influence to achieve alignment across stakeholders.
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