Plant Breeding Manager – Pharmaceutical Applications
Location: Confidential | Competitive Salary + Benefits
Walker Cole International are supporting in the pharmaceutical sector is seeking a Plant Breeding Manager to lead and evolve its specialist breeding program. This is a unique opportunity to drive innovation at the intersection of plant science and pharmaceutical development, focusing on the enhancement of medicinal plant varieties.
Key Responsibilities:
- Lead the design and execution of plant breeding strategies targeting key traits such as alkaloid content, yield, and disease resistance.
- Development and maintenance of plant clones; ongoing clone strategy, viability and assessment
- Coordinate field and greenhouse trials to assess breeding line performance.
- Apply classical and molecular breeding techniques, including marker-assisted selection and tissue culture.
- Ensure alignment with pharmaceutical quality standards and maintain full compliance with regulatory and documentation requirements.
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across R&D and regulatory affairs.
- Communicate results and strategic updates to internal stakeholders and external bodies.
About You:
- MSc or PhD in Plant Breeding, Genetics, Agronomy, or related discipline.
- 5+ years of hands-on plant breeding experience, including at least 2 in a leadership capacity.
- Strong knowledge of medicinal plant species and phytochemistry.
- Familiarity with GMP, GACP, and international pharmaceutical/agricultural regulations.
- Skilled in data analysis, project management, and cross-functional collaboration.
Desirable:
- Experience with medicinal crops.
- Background in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
- Knowledge of EMA, FDA, or WHO frameworks for botanical ingredients
