Ohalo · 2 days ago
Seed Production Agronomist
Watsonville, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Mid, Senior Level
$100K/yr - $130K/yrOhalo is a company focused on accelerating evolution to unlock nature's potential through innovative breeding systems. The Seed Production Agronomist will lead research programs aimed at improving seed yield and quality while collaborating with various teams to enhance production practices and ensure reliable seed production systems.
AgricultureBiotechnologyGenetics
No H1B
Responsibilities
Design and lead multi-season research plans focused on seed production constraints and opportunities (e.g., seed set, flowering synchronization, fertility, harvest timing, shattering, dormancy)
Build robust DOE (Design of Experiments) and field trial plans; define success metrics and sampling strategies
Translate production challenges into testable hypotheses and deliver validated recommendations
Pollination and isolation (controlled pollination, isolation distances/barriers, temporal isolation)
Flowering and reproductive management (synchrony, fertility, pollen viability, stress responses)
Harvest and post-harvest handling (maturity indices, drying, threshing/extraction, cleaning, storage)
Improve seed lot outcomes including purity, moisture targets, germination, vigor, and storability
Analyze experimental data using appropriate statistical tools; quantify effect sizes, variability, and operational tradeoffs
Produce clear technical reports, SOPs, and decision-ready summaries for cross-functional stakeholders
Present findings and influence adoption of improved practices in production settings
Partner with Breeding to align production methods with germplasm characteristics (e.g., hybrid systems, male sterility, parental line behavior)
Collaborate with Agronomy and Production teams to transition methods from R&D plots → pilot → commercial scale
Support troubleshooting of real-time production issues; recommend interventions grounded in data
Ensure best practices for genetic stewardship, contamination prevention, and traceability
Maintain high-quality documentation (notebooks, protocols, datasets, sample tracking)
Follow biosafety, phytosanitary, and regulated material handling procedures as applicable
Qualification
Required
BS in Plant Science, Agronomy, Horticulture, Genetics, Biology, or related discipline with significant commercial experience; MS preferred
Demonstrated experience designing and executing plant research trials (greenhouse and/or field) with rigorous data collection
Strong understanding of seed production fundamentals: reproductive biology, pollination, seed development, maturity, and seed quality
Direct experience in seed production R&D (hybrid or OP systems; row crops, vegetables, forages, or specialty crops)
Familiarity with production-scale constraints and process control (sampling plans, SOP validation, QC thresholds)
Proficiency with experimental design and statistics; ability to use tools such as R, Python, JMP, or equivalent
Excellent communication skills—able to translate technical results into operational recommendations
Ability to manage multiple projects with competing seasonal timelines and deliver results on schedule
Expertise in seed quality testing (standard germination, vigor, TZ, purity, moisture, seed health/pathology)
Experience with GxE impacts on flowering, seed set, and maturation; multi-location trialing
Knowledge of LIMS/data pipelines and reproducible analysis workflows
Comfortable working in office / lab, greenhouse, and seasonal field work settings
Willingness to adjust hours during critical windows (pollination, harvest, sample processing)
Company
Ohalo
To support a growing population efficiently, we need to shrink the land, water and energy footprint of our crops.
Founded in 2019
51-200 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageTotal Funding
$40M2024-01-25Series Unknown· $40M
Leadership Team
David Friedberg
Chief Executive Officer
Judson Ward
Founder and Chief Technology Officer
Recent News
Google Patent
2025-02-07
Google Patent
2025-02-07
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