Requirements**

• Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy, Crop Science, Seed Technology, Plant Breeding, or a related discipline

• Minimum of 2 years’ practical experience in hybrid breeding, parental line maintenance, or seed production operations.

• Demonstrated hands-on experience in controlled pollination, backcrossing, rouging, and seed handling.

• Experience with CMS systems, or hybrid seed production will be an added advantage.

• Ability to drive field car (pickup with manual or automatic gear).

• Occasional travel to partner locations

Education, knowledge and experience**

• Bachelor’s degree in Agronomy, Crop Science, Seed Technology, Plant Breeding, or a related discipline

• Minimum of 2 years’ practical experience in hybrid breeding, parental line maintenance, or seed production operations.

• Demonstrated hands-on experience in controlled pollination, backcrossing, rouging, and seed handling.

• Experience with CMS systems, or hybrid seed production will be an added advantage.

• Ability to drive field car (pickup with manual or automatic gear).

• Occasional travel to partner locations.

Hybrid creation and crossing operations.**

• Execute testcross and/or factorial crossing schemes involving new B and R lines according to breeding plans and protocols.

• Carry out controlled pollination activities, including sterilization, bagging, tagging, pollination, and harvesting of crossing materials.

• Monitor flowering synchronization and support timely execution of crossing activities to maximize seed set and data quality.

• Maintain strict labeling, traceability, and contamination control throughout all hybrid creation activities.

• Support the generation of experimental hybrids for evaluation and advancement.

 Gametocide protocol implementation.****

• Implement approved gametocide protocols in hybrid creation in line with standard operating procedures and safety requirements.

• Prepare treatment materials, apply treatments correctly, and monitor crop response for effectiveness and phytotoxicity.

• Record all treatment details accurately, including dates, rates, environmental conditions, and observed outcomes.

• Collaborate with breeders and agronomists to improve protocol efficiency and reliability.

  Conversion of B lines to CMS lines.****

• Support the conversion of selected new B lines into CMS lines through structured backcrossing programs.

• Assist in maintaining pedigree records and generation advancement data for conversion cycles.

• Identify and report any deviations in fertility expression, plant type, or seed quality during conversion work.

• Ensure that conversion materials are handled with high precision to preserve genetic integrity.

Parental line maintenance.****

• Maintain and regenerate A, B, and R seed stocks under strict quality and genetic purity standards.

• Conduct rouging, isolation, controlled selfing, and harvest operations for parental line maintenance plots.

• Support seed drying, cleaning, packaging, labeling, storage, and inventory tracking.

• Monitor seed viability and alert supervisors on regeneration needs to prevent loss of valuable germplasm.

Seed production efficiency.****

• Contribute to improvements in seed production efficiency through better field organization, synchronization, and work sequencing.

• Support the adoption of light mechanization and improved tools where appropriate to reduce labor burden and improve precision.

• Assist in evaluating field performance, seed set, and operational bottlenecks for continuous improvement.

• Maintain accurate records to support productivity analysis and decision-making.

Data management, quality, and compliance.**

• Maintain complete and accurate field records, crossing logs, seed inventories, and activity reports.

• Enter and manage data in digital platforms used by the breeding and operations teams.

• Follow institutional protocols on quality assurance, biosafety, occupational safety, and seed handling.

• Ensure compliance with internal procedures for genetic materials and research operations.