Research Director - Head Breeder Ornamental (M/F)

We are a major international player in the horticultural industry. Building on more than 100 years of experience, we are driven by a strong entrepreneurial mindset and a constant pursuit of excellence.

With innovation and creativity at the heart of our core values, we invest significantly in research and development while respecting both people and nature.

Reaffirming their expertise every day across the globe, our teams share the same spirit of excellence and passion.

Built on strong fundamentals and sound management, we bring together around one hundred employees and operate in more than 70 countries worldwide.

Supported over the long term by a leading French family office, we are currently entering a new phase of acceleration, diversification, and structuring. To support this development, we are now seeking our future:

Responsibilities

Reporting directly to the General Management and 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 the diversification of our product portfolio.

Managing, motivating, and developing an R&D team of three collaborators, you will play a key role in aligning product development with market needs and the company's business ambitions.

Following an initial assessment phase to familiarize yourself with our environment and expertise, you will propose and implement processes aimed at structuring and industrializing our breeding practices, while fostering a culture of continuous innovation: experimentation, genetic improvement, and product range diversification.

Working closely with all company departments (production, marketing, and sales), you will ensure the feasibility of innovations and the alignment of the Group's product portfolio with customer needs.

Your role will provide end-to-end responsibility across all aspects of the function, including:

• Defining varietal breeding strategies and key innovation priorities (horticultural performance, climate resilience, aesthetics, shelf life, uniformity, productivity, etc.)
• 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 the implementation and tracking of relevant KPIs
• Conducting scientific, technical, and competitive intelligence, and developing collaborations with external partners (breeders, technical institutes)

Qualifications

With a higher scientific education background (Agronomy Engineering, Horticulture, Plant Biology or equivalent, PhD preferred), you have solid experience in horticultural R&D, particularly in breeding, hybridization, and varietal development.

Combining strong technical expertise, mastery of state-of-the-art scientific and digital technologies (molecular markers, digital phenotyping, PCR, doubled haploids, etc.), and a long-term strategic vision, you are now looking to join a healthy and fast-growing company where you can contribute to the diversification of our product portfolio and the structuring of our practices.

Beyond your experience, your personality and ambition will be key success factors, as well as your ability to bring structure and meaning through your vision, rigor, and commitment.

Fluency in English is required; French is not required but a plus.

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