Junior Plant Breeder – Onions

About the role

Starke Ayres is seeking a Junior Plant Breeder focused on onion improvement to join its breeding team in Kimberley. The role supports the development of new vegetable, flower and lawn seed varieties for both commercial and home‑garden markets.

Key responsibilities

• Manage and execute an onion breeding programme aligned with business and market objectives.
• Develop, evaluate and maintain germplasm and breeding populations.
• Select and advance inbred lines, varieties and hybrid combinations with commercial potential.
• Collaborate with pathology, biotechnology, production and marketing teams.
• Plan, coordinate and monitor field trials on‑station and at external sites.
• Analyse, interpret and present trial data to inform decision‑making.
• Maintain accurate breeding records, databases and documentation.
• Ensure availability of seed, germplasm and trial materials.
• Identify opportunities to improve breeding methods and resource utilisation.

Required profile

• B.Sc. in Plant Breeding, Genetics or a related discipline (essential).
• 1‑3 years of experience in plant breeding or related research.
• Strong interest in vegetable seed development and market‑driven breeding.

Required skills

• Plant breeding programme management.
• Germplasm handling and population development.
• Field trial design, implementation and data collection.
• Statistical analysis and interpretation of breeding data.
• Collaboration across multidisciplinary teams.