Pre-Breeding Technician (m/f/d)

Description

**Pre-Breeding Technician (m/f/d)** ====================================== **Professional Areas:** Crop, **Location:** Almería **Legal Entity:** KWS SEMILLAS IBÉRICA S.L. **Contract Type:** Permanent **Full-Time:** Yes **ID:** 16786 As part of our growth strategy and plans, we are seeking a **Pre-Breeding Technician (m/f/d)** for **KWS Vegetables**. This is a full-time, permanent position based at our station in **Almería, Spain**. The start date is October 1, 2026\. It is a strategic objective of KWS to establish, in the long term, a significant presence in the vegetable seed sector. To achieve this, the company is making progressive investments over the coming years. In addition, we offer a practical working environment and the opportunity to collaborate with highly motivated and qualified colleagues. **Key Responsibilities:** **Development:** Within the pepper pre-breeding area, execute, manage, monitor, and support activities related to germplasm characterization, trait introgression, and development of pre-breeding populations, ensuring a continuous flow of new genetic diversity and traits into the breeding pipeline. **Personnel Management:** Plan, organize, execute, track, and distribute daily work associated with the pre-breeding program as efficiently and effectively as possible within the framework of available budget and resources. **Pre-Breeding Trials:** Pre-breeding trials include germplasm evaluations, donor characterization, population advancement, trait validation trials, and seed increase activities. Organize and conduct sowing, transplanting, crossing, self-pollination, and harvesting of pre-breeding trials under close supervision, enabling effective selection, crossing activities, and population development. In close collaboration with the farm team, the pre-breeding technician is responsible for distributing and/or performing crop cultural activities and/or crop management practices to ensure healthy crop development and maximize pre-breeding outcomes. Responsible for printing labels for seeds, seedlings, and plants. **Genetic Resources and Seed Management:** Responsible for production, maintenance, storage, and/or disposal of seeds selected by supervisors. Compliance with QC protocols, preparation of seeds for QC analysis, and adherence to the highest hygiene standards specified by supervisors and/or other teams responsible for hygiene matters. **Tissue Sampling:** The pre-breeding technician is responsible for executing tissue collection for DNA extraction and disease testing. **Data Collection:** Pre-breeding technicians must be able to collect phenotypic information following supervisor instructions, as well as upload and download such information into data systems. Phenotypic information may include agronomic, morphological, quality, and disease resistance evaluations of germplasm and pre-breeding populations. **Communication:** Close communication with: the farm team, especially the farm technician to manage daily work; temporary labor contractors; temporary workers; pathology team in cases of potential disease identification; screening specialist, to identify trial locations and help align phenotypic data collection between the pre-breeding program and the person responsible for screening; other (pre)breeding technicians within the program, to ensure best practices across all breeding program locations. Effective communication with local and international teams; practical knowledge of English is valued. **HRM:** Responsible for on-the-job training and technical instructions for temporary staff. This training includes providing technical guidance to meet agreed standards (QHSE, SOPs), time planning, and budgeting. **Your Profile:** * Secondary vocational education in agriculture, horticulture, or biology, plus required experience * Practical knowledge of horticulture, agronomy, and pathology * Minimum two years of experience in a similar role * Experience and skills: + Personnel management + Knowledge of crop agronomy * Organization and planning * Basic computer skills * Valid driver’s license * Willingness to travel domestically (up to 10 %) * Knowledge of English is an asset We look forward to receiving your application via our SuccessFactors application system! Use the "Apply" function in the job posting. **About KWS** KWS is one of the world’s leading plant breeding companies, with more than 5\.000 employees working in over 70 countries. Since 1856, we have continued growing as an independent, family-owned company. We focus on plant cultivation and the production and marketing of sugar beet, corn, cereals, vegetables, oilseed rape, and sunflower seeds. To achieve this, KWS combines state-of-the-art plant breeding methods with strong investment in research and development. For us, diversity is not just a value—it is a key factor in our success. Just as plant resilience depends on diversity, our success relies on the diversity of our teams. Regardless of your background or identity, we invite you to join KWS. More information and career opportunities: www.kws.com/careers/. Follow us on LinkedIn®: https://linkedin.com/company/kwsgroup/. Applicant Privacy Policy: www.kws.com/dataprotection. Select the country and, if applicable, the specific business area of the position to which you are applying.