Duties

• Lead and conduct independent research to develop breeding plans for key urban agriculture crops focused on resilience, productivity, and adaptation to tropical systems.

• Manage full project workflows, including lab and field trials, logistics, procurement, and biosafety compliance.

• Incorporate advanced phenotyping and data tools, such as AI imaging, remote sensing, and environmental sensors, to accelerate selection and improve accuracy.

• Screen and evaluate global germplasm for traits of interest, supporting breeding diversity and goals.

• Design and oversee controlled environment and field experiments, ensuring quality data and robust trial designs.

• Maintain detailed records of research protocols, raw data, and analysis to support traceability and reproducibility.

• Align breeding outcomes with market trends and national food security objectives, translating findings into deployable solutions.

• Collaborate with IHLs and research partners on co-funded projects, capability development, and translational research to scale innovation for local agri-industry adoption.

• Build and guide multidisciplinary teams, including scientists and technical staff, to enhance SFA’s R&D capacity.

• Represent Singapore at international platforms, contributing expertise on crop R&D, seed innovation, and urban agriculture strategies.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Plant Breeding, Plant Sciences or related field; or M.Sc. with at least 5 years of relevant hands-on experience in breeding, genomics, or translational crop research.

• Proven experience in breeding programs for Brassica leafy vegetables and/or tropical fruited vegetables under controlled and field environments.

• Strong background in trait evaluation, including plant architecture, stress resilience, disease resistance, and productivity traits relevant to urban and indoor farming systems.

• Proficient in classical and modern breeding techniques, including marker-assisted selection, genome-wide association studies (GWAS), genomic selection, ploidy manipulation, mutagenesis, and high-throughput phenotyping.

• Demonstrated ability to design, execute, and statistically analyse agronomic and molecular experiments across lab, greenhouse, and field settings.

• Experience managing large and complex datasets, including the use of statistical software (e.g., R, SAS) and data visualization tools.

• Strong track record in scientific writing, with peer-reviewed publications in plant breeding or genetics; experience in preparing technical reports, stakeholder presentations, and grant proposals.

• Proven ability to collaborate with academic institutions, industry partners, and government agencies on joint R&D and translational projects.

• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and project management skills; able to work independently and lead multidisciplinary teams

Other Requirements

• Excellent command of written and spoken English, with the ability to communicate complex scientific concepts clearly and effectively.

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary teams and adapt to evolving project needs.

• Demonstrated analytical thinking and a systematic approach to problem-solving, coupled with strong leadership and project coordination capabilities.

• Able to work independently while contributing effectively in team settings, with a proven ability to engage and manage relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Work Location

• National Centre for Food Science, 7 International Business Park, Singapore 609919

We regret to inform that only shortlisted candidates will be notified.