Role Purpose:

• Manage and lead a team of bioinformatics scientists responsible for computational support of molecular marker development.
• Partner with geneticists, plant breeders, molecular biologists and other bioinformaticians to generate and validate biological hypotheses through computational approaches, provide these scientists with expert knowledge on the implementation of computational biology tools and assist in answering scientific questions.
• Develop, validate and apply computational tools and databases to integrate and analyze diverse biological and molecular datasets and enhance the ability to integrate bioinformatics datasets with breeding data sets in support of product discovery and development.
• Represent Bioinformatics needs and capabilities in external collaboration projects.
• As a member of the Global Bioinformatics Leadership team, contribute to the advancement of our capabilities for leading cutting edge data integration and analysis in multiple disciplines, enhancing our ability to interpret complex, multi-dimensional data.
• Provide leadership to, and participation in, key projects both within the Bioinformatics function and across multiple R&D functions.
• Serve as a key integration point connecting global bioinformatics and informatics capabilities with onsite needs.

Accountabilities

• Provide relevant data analysis support to molecular marker projects in collaboration with researchers and bioinformaticians from diverse disciplines.
• Effectively communicate across global sites matching capabilities with onsite needs and be a key liaison representing onsite needs to a broader, global bioinformatics organization.
• Contribute to the development of a global bioinformatics strategy that supports the research and business objectives of the company.
• Contribute to the enhancement and evolution of the bioinformatics platform, a collection of tools and datasets that support computational biology analyses.
• Interface effectively with diverse stakeholders and team members to identify opportunities to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of our delivery of capabilities and high quality analyses to our R&D clients.
• Continually expand skill set by staying on top of key advances in bioinformatics, agricultural biotechnology and the application of biotechnology and genomics to agricultural product discovery and development.

Critical success factors & key challenges

• Establish enhanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities associated with the convergence of biotechnology and traditional breeding.
• High level of negotiation, motivational and influencing skills.
• Effectively communicate critical information across sites and serve as a key liaison between sites, representing onsite needs and capabilities and matching these with and offsite needs capabilities.
• Establish productive working relationships with key scientific users and informatics professionals across a number of functional groups and sites within a matrix organization.

Critical knowledge

• M.S., Ph.D. or equivalent experience in Bioinformatics, Molecular Biology, Genetics or a related field.
• Strong understanding of biotechnology research, product development and genetics.
• Strong computational skills including knowledge of available bioinformatics tools, data sets and computational strategies to solve genomics and genetics problems.
• Demonstrated ability to work successfully within a global interdisciplinary team.
• Fluency in English and French and ability to effectively converse about complex problems and solutions in both languages.

Critical experience:

• 10 years professional experience in bioinformatics or computational biology
• 2 years management experience leading teams.

Critical technical, professional & personal capabilities

• Excellent communication, organization and presentation skills.
• Extensive understanding of bioinformatics and professional experience carrying out bioinformatics analyses to answer biological questions.
• Knowledge of the life sciences, particularly genomics and/or genetics.
• Experience with agricultural biotechnology, marker development and plant genetics/genomics is highly desirable.
• Experience in negotiating and budgeting time between competing cross-functional demands for resources is desirable.

Critical leadership capabilities

• Communicates with impact and gains commitment of individuals and stakeholders in a compelling way.
• Is able to effectively motivate direct reports, ensuring quality of delivery is high.
• Identifies and mitigates cross functional barriers to enable better collaboration.
• Establishes and maintains a network of colleagues and utilizes this network to accomplish goals, build expertise and share information.
• Involves many individuals in brainstorming sessions, shows good judgment about which creative ideas and suggestions will work and suspends judgment until ideas are fully explained and vetted.
• Listens carefully and gains trust and loyalty.
• Scans the environment to look for needed change and anticipates need for change.

Travel requirements and other information:

• Travel, including internationally, required for this position. Up to 10% per year.

Applications

Please apply online at
http://www.syngenta.com/global/corporate/en/careers/Pages/careers.aspx

Vacancy Reference ID: 611952