Research Director - Head Breeder Ornamental (M/F)

About the Company

We are a major international player in the horticultural industry, operating in more than 70 countries worldwide and backed by a leading French family office. Our focus is on research, development, and continuous innovation while respecting people and nature.

Role Overview

Reporting directly to the General Management as a member of the leadership team, you will lead the Group’s R&D strategy and directly contribute to value creation through varietal innovation and diversification of the product portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

• Defining varietal breeding strategies and key innovation priorities (performance, climate resilience, aesthetics, shelf life, uniformity, productivity).
• Building and monitoring short-, medium- and long-term breeding roadmaps.
• Leading varietal development programs and structuring/optimizing multi‑site trial systems.
• Monitoring and managing R&D performance through implementation and tracking of relevant KPIs.
• Conducting scientific, technical and competitive intelligence and developing collaborations with external partners (breeders, technical institutes).

Required Qualifications

• Higher scientific education background in Agronomy Engineering, Horticulture, Plant Biology or equivalent; PhD preferred.
• Solid experience in horticultural R&D, particularly in breeding, hybridization and varietal development.
• Strong technical expertise and mastery of state‑of‑the‑art scientific and digital technologies (molecular markers, digital phenotyping, PCR, doubled haploids, etc.).
• Fluency in French is required.

Preferred Skills

• Experience structuring and industrializing breeding practices.
• Strong strategic vision and ability to bring structure and meaning through vision, rigor and commitment.

What We Offer

• A key position within a highly skilled, high‑performing and close‑knit team.
• A unique opportunity within a sustainable, family‑owned, fast‑growing company driven by strong values.
• A dynamic and exciting industry sector.