Cotton Plant Health Scientist

At Bayer we’re visionaries, driven to solve the world’s toughest challenges and striving for a world where 'Health for all Hunger for none’ is no longer a dream, but a real possibility. We’re doing it with energy, curiosity and sheer dedication, always learning from unique perspectives of those around us, expanding our thinking, growing our capabilities and redefining ‘impossible’. There are so many reasons to join us. If you’re hungry to build a varied and meaningful career in a community of brilliant and diverse minds to make a real difference, there’s only one choice.

Cotton Plant Health Scientist 

Position Overview:

As a Senior Scientist in Plant Health, you supervise and coordinate the work of scientists in Product Design, Product Development, and Testing to ensure alignment with breeding objectives for cotton diseases. You design and implement effective strategies for germplasm and product characterization to address identified cotton diseases and enhance overall crop resilience. You review and define advancement thresholds for breeding playbooks to guide decision-making throughout the cotton breeding process. Collaborating with Crop Science and other relevant departments, you develop integrated solutions for key diseases affecting the cotton breeding program. You establish and maintain protocols for data collection and analysis, ensuring high-quality data throughout the cotton breeding pipeline. You coordinate and oversee cotton field trials to evaluate germplasm and product performance against diseases co-created with NAFTO, ensuring rigorous testing protocols are followed. You develop and implement risk modeling frameworks to assess the potential impact of emerging diseases on cotton production and inform proactive strategies. You analyze trial data and prepare reports for regional advancement, providing insights to inform decision-making and strategy adjustments for breeding in North America. Conducting research to identify emerging diseases and evaluate their impact in North America, you provide actionable insights for the breeding program. You provide mentorship and guidance to team members, fostering skill development and knowledge sharing within the team on epidemiology and risk assessment.

YOUR TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Supervise and coordinate the work of scientists in Plant Health, Product Design, Product Development, and Testing;
• Design and implement strategies for germplasm and product characterization to address cotton diseases;
• Review and define advancement thresholds for breeding playbooks;
• Collaborate with Crop Science and other departments to develop integrated solutions for cotton diseases;
• Establish and maintain protocols for data collection and analysis;
• Coordinate and oversee cotton field trials with NAFTO;
• Develop and implement risk modeling frameworks for emerging diseases;
• Analyze trial data and prepare reports for regional advancement;
• Conduct research to identify emerging diseases and evaluate their impact;
• Provide mentorship and guidance to team members.

WHO YOU ARE:

Bayer seeks an incumbent who possesses the following:

• PhD Degree in Plant Pathology or Master with 10+ years of experience in Plant Health roles;
• Strong background in plant disease epidemiology and risk modeling;
• Expertise in crop field data collection on cotton, soy, corn, or wheat;
• Proficiency in large databases and coding (R, Python, or C++);
• Strong communication skills in English, both written and verbal;
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and project management;
• Skilled professional with strong foundations on VACC behavior.