Team Lead, Trait Characterization

The Role:

Reporting to the Director, Trait Development, the selected candidate for Elo’s Team Lead, Trait Characterization will oversee all of Elo’s advanced growth chamber and greenhouse facilities as well as the existing two-person Trait Characterization team. This candidate will oversee the production, evaluation, optimization and advancement of potential product genotypes for new molecular farming food ingredients such as sweeteners. The successful candidate will work closely with colleagues in R&D to support refinement of Elo’s foundational technologies – and with colleagues in downstream functions to produce ingredient samples for further product prototyping and development.

Desired qualifications include:

• Deep technical background in plant biology with a focus on horticulture, plant physiology, plant pathology, breeding, IPM and controlled environment agriculture.
• Experience planning and executing phenotyping workflows to characterize trait performance of (ideally) transgenic plants or breeding lines.
• Significant expertise and professional experience overseeing greenhouse and growth chamber production of crops within (ideally) a research context.

Key Competencies:

• Ability to work independently, anticipate challenges, and proactively create creative solutions in the assigned area of expertise
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail and follow through to ensure projects are completed in timely manner
• Flexible team player willing to do what it takes to get the job done; adaptable and enjoys new challenges each day.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with proven ability to influence, build trust, and mentor others in a matrixed organization.
• Unyielding integrity and commitment to upholding Elo’s values.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Program and maintain greenhouse and growth chambers environments conducive to plant production, phenotyping, breeding and validation of potential product genotypes.
• Optimize plant production, improving health and yield while reducing timelines, in diverse crop species.
• Assist with planting, transplanting, controlled pollination, acclimatization from tissue culture, tissue sampling and seed collection of diverse crop species.
• Support planning and decision making for the creation, optimization and advancement of top potential product genotypes, including application of breeding-based strategies.
• Develop, validate, execute and document new protocols, most typically within a trait phenotyping or breeding context.
• Utilize and/or develop phenotyping, rapid-cycling and data management technologies to facilitate rapid, precise, and field-predictive identification and validation of improved germplasm.
• Maintain rigorous organization and documentation of all plant material systems, and workflows using an electronic notebook and relational database. Ensure adherence to SOP protocols.
• Scout for pests and pathogens and maintain excellent control through proactive hygienic practices, appropriate control responses and IPM program.
• Act as an expert resource for horticulture, plant physiology and controlled environment agriculture, supporting the design and execution of growth chamber and greenhouse-based experiments.

The Successful Applicant

• Doctoral degree (PhD) in Plant Biology, Horticulture, Plant Pathology or related field with (ideally) at least 5 years full-time working experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Significant expertise in horticulture, plant physiology and controlled environment agriculture.
• Demonstrated experience delivering and optimizing reproducible plant growth in greenhouse and/or controlled environments within a research context.
• Experience phenotyping transgenic crops in controlled environment facilities is appreciated.
• Experience in production facilities (CEA, vertical farming, indoor farming) is appreciated.
• Additional expertise is appreciated in optimization of lighting, irrigation and nutrient-supply systems and recipes; statistical analyses and data management; plant growth, plant pollination, breeding and tissue culture.

Compensation

We offer a very competitive compensation package, consisting of salary, bonus, equity, and benefits to all team members. For health benefits we pay 100% of employees and their family members!

Elo Life Systems, Inc. is proud to be an affirmative action / equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, creed, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected under local, state, or federal laws.