Job Opportunities

Job Description

South African Sugarcane Research Institute (SASRI) a division of the South African Sugar Association (SASA) has a permanent vacancy for a Plant Breeder - Irrigated Region, at their SASRI Pongola Research Station, based in Pongola.

The opportunity

Irrigated sugarcane growers in Pongola, Komatipoort, Malelane and beyond rely on varieties bred for their conditions. We are looking for a Plant Breeder to lead SASRI's irrigated breeding programme from our Pongola Research Station, close to the trials, the fields and the growers the work is for.

You will take ownership of the programme that develops SASRI's "N" varieties, bred specifically for irrigated production. These varieties are grown across South Africa's irrigated region and licensed to sugarcane estates elsewhere in sub-Saharan Africa, so your work will reach well beyond our borders.

This is a hands-on, field-based role with real influence. The decisions you help make about which varieties move forward will shape what growers plant for years to come.

About SASRI

The South African Sugarcane Research Institute (SASRI) is the research division of the South African Sugar Association (SASA). Our Breeding and Field Resource Unit develops high-yielding, pest- and disease-resistant sugarcane varieties for each of the industry's growing regions, combining field selection with complementary research.

What you'll do

Lead the irrigated breeding programme

• Manage selection activities and variety trials at the Pongola and Komatipoort research stations, at grower sites across the irrigated region, and at the newly established trials on Eswatini sugar estates.
• Plan, place and evaluate selection trials, making sure they are well designed and produce reliable data.
• Analyse trial results, document how each genotype performs, and make sound recommendations on which varieties to advance and release.
• Manage seedcane and seedcane bulking for the programme.

Lead and develop the Pongola team

• Supervise, mentor and support the Selection Officer and selection staff based at Pongola.
• Set clear standards for trial planning, implementation and data quality.

Work closely with growers and colleagues

• Coordinate the trial network with Research Station Managers.
• Engage regularly with Extension specialists and growers, so that what we breed reflects what growers need.
• Work with the breeding team at Mount Edgecombe and contribute to SASRI's wider breeding programme.
• Look for new technologies and methods that make the programme more efficient.

Manage, report and share

• Manage project budgets and allocate resources to meet programme goals.
• Share results through reports, peer-reviewed publications and conferences, and connect with the international sugarcane breeding community.

What you'll bring

Essential

• A PhD in Plant Breeding and Genetics, Quantitative Genetics or a related field.
• Practical experience in a plant breeding programme, including running field trials.
• A strong grounding in field breeding methods, experimental design and the statistical analysis of trial data.
• Confidence with databases, spreadsheets and statistical software.
• Experience supervising or leading staff.
• A track record of managing projects and meeting milestones.
• Clear written and verbal communication, and the ability to speak comfortably with scientists and growers alike.
• A valid driver's licence and willingness to travel regularly across the irrigated region and to Eswatini.

An advantage

• Knowledge of sugarcane, especially sugarcane breeding or production under irrigation.
• Experience in a commercial breeding programme.
• Experience with multi-environment trials and genotype-by-environment analysis.
• Familiarity with quantitative and statistical genetics, selection theory, and family, parent and breeding-value evaluation.
• Knowledge of molecular markers, genomic tools or introgression breeding.

Who you are

You are self-motivated, organised and careful with detail. You enjoy fieldwork and practical problem-solving, and you are comfortable working independently at a regional station while staying closely connected to a wider team. You build good relationships easily, whether with your own staff, colleagues at head office or growers in the field.

Why join us

• Lead a programme whose results growers see directly in their fields.
• Build and guide your own team at Pongola.
• Join a research institute with a long record in sugarcane breeding, and colleagues who are generous with their expertise.
• SASRI offers a market related package and relocation support to the selected applicant.

Our recruitment process includes formal assessments of cognitive ability and behavioural style, carried out by an internationally recognised assessment provider.