Cotton Breeding Scientist

At Corteva Agriscience, we are committed to transforming agriculture through innovation. Join us in shaping the future of plant breeding and delivering improved varieties to farmers around the world.

Are you passionate about advancing plant breeding through innovative science and technology? Do you thrive at the intersection of fieldwork and analytics, and enjoy turning complex biological questions into practical breeding solutions? If so, you might be a great fit for our Cotton Breeding Scientist position.

We are seeking a scientist with a strong foundation in plant breeding and quantitative genetics, who also brings a passion for the discovery and application of innovative breeding technologies and methods. In this role, you will collaborate with a multidisciplinary team of breeders, statisticians, and domain experts to enhance breeding strategies and accelerate genetic gain.

What You'll Do:

• Partner closely with plant breeders to design, implement, and evaluate breeding strategies that leverage both traditional and modern quantitative methods.

• Lead efforts to integrate genomic, phenotypic, and environmental data into breeding pipelines to improve selection accuracy and decision-making.

• Contribute to the development and deployment of predictive models and decision-support tools tailored to breeding program needs.

• Manage deployment of new technologies and approaches to breeding decisions directly with breeding teams.

• Support continuous improvement in data collection, experimental design, and analysis workflows across breeding teams.

• Collaborate with data scientists, software engineers, geneticists, and other domain experts to ensure breeding tools are scientifically sound, user-friendly, and impactful.

• Communicate findings and recommendations clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.

What Skills You Need:

• PhD in Plant Breeding, Quantitative Genetics, Agronomy, or related fields.

• Outstanding problem-solving skills and a proven ability to independently deliver analytic solutions by asking the right questions, analyzing data, building and validating models, and producing actionable results.

• Experience working with large-scale phenotypic and genomic datasets.

• Proficiency in R or Python for data analysis and visualization.

• Familiarity with statistical modeling, machine learning, or simulation techniques as applied to biological systems.

• Excellent collaboration and communication skills, with a track record of working effectively in cross-functional teams.

• Ability to manage multiple projects and deliver results in a dynamic environment.

What Makes You Stand Out:

• Hands-on experience with genomic selection, genetic algorithms, or environmental modeling in a breeding context.

• Strong understanding of breeding program design, selection theory, and genetic evaluation methods.

• Experience applying machine learning and/or artificial intelligence to breeding problems.

• A passion for applying science to solve real-world agricultural challenges.

Location: 

While our preferred location for this position is West Memphis, AR, we are open to considering other locations based on candidate preference and business needs. Secondary preferred locations include Cairo, GA, Lubbock, TX, or Johnston, IA.

Benefits – How We’ll Support You:

• Numerous development opportunities offered to build your skills

• Be part of a company with a higher purpose and contribute to making the world a better place

• Health benefits for you and your family on your first day of employment

• Four weeks of paid time off and two weeks of well-being pay per year, plus paid holidays

• Excellent parental leave which includes a minimum of 16 weeks for mother and father

• Future planning with our competitive retirement savings plan and tuition reimbursement program

• Learn more about our total rewards package here - Corteva Benefits

• Check out life at Corteva! www.linkedin.com/company/corteva/life

Are you a good match? Apply today! We seek applicants from all backgrounds to ensure we get the best, most creative talent on our team.

Corteva Agriscience is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to embracing our differences to enrich lives, advance innovation, and boost company performance. Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, military or veteran status, pregnancy related conditions (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), disability or any other protected status in accordance with federal, state, or local laws.