Flavor Trait Discovery Scientist

• Experience Years: 3-5 Years of Experience
• Employee Type: Regular
• Remote Type: Onsite

The Flavor Trait Discovery Scientist will be responsible for leading and developing a small team to implement new and existing metabolomics technologies across all berry crops to generate fruit quality phenotypes in collaboration with plant breeding, molecular genetics, sensory, and post-harvest teams. Collected data will fuel molecular marker development, genomic prediction models, and variety advancement decisions. The Flavor Trait Discovery Scientist will use in-depth knowledge of best practices for fruit quality testing in fresh fruits using analytical instrumentation to support the development of a rolling strategic roadmap of science activities for metabolomics.

Primary duties will include working independently to continuously improve workflows, implementing best practices of process improvement, fostering a collaborative and innovative environment to drive successful project outcomes, communicating progress regularly to project stakeholders through meetings and written reports, ensuring equipment receives regular maintenance to support efficient and effective lab activities, and ensuring compliance with safety and quality standards. The Flavor Trait Discovery Scientist will execute project goals and timelines involving cross‑functional teams and stay current with the techniques and data solutions that would aid Driscoll’s in accomplishing our mission.

This is an exciting research opportunity to explore the phenotypic diversity of traits in the development of superior Driscoll's berry varieties.

• Lead flavor chemistry and plant metabolomics discovery and validation studies.
• Lead and supervise activities of daily operation, maintenance, and quality control of Flavor Trait Discovery platforms and work streams to ensure prompt turnaround from received sample to delivered result for trait development, genetic studies, phenotypic selection, and product development/differentiation.
• Interpret and report on chromatography and mass spectrometry data using metabolomics and cheminformatics approaches.
• Develop, perform, and optimize metabolite extraction and analytical chemistry workflows in berries.
• Stay current with emerging technologies in metabolomics to evaluate and integrate new tools that enhance throughput or resolution.
• Demonstrate consistent project leadership by fostering a collaborative and innovative environment to drive successful project outcomes, communicating progress regularly to project stakeholders through meetings and written reports.
• Lead and supervise regular updates and maintenance of lab databases to reflect accurate inventory and data collection work streams.
• Perform data analysis, data reporting, and communicate findings through written, oral reports, and presentations.
• Support the Breeding Technology Lead in developing a rolling strategic roadmap of science activities to achieve organizational initiatives.
• Develop and deploy an annual tactical plan and capacity map of science activities to achieve organizational initiatives.
• Recruit and manage technical staff to ensure robust learning and career development consistent with the Company’s values.
• Keep a stocked, clean, and orderly laboratory to promote safety and productivity.
• Keep up‑to‑date digital lab notebooks and contribute to SOPs.
• Continually develop professional network, leadership, and technical skills through attendance of breeding summits, conferences, symposia, and workshops.
• Lead lab tours as needed.
• Domestic and international travel required as needed.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Ph.D. degree in flavor chemistry, plant biochemistry, molecular genetics, plant science, plant breeding or a similar discipline.
• 4-6 years’ experience in Research and Development, with 3-5 years’ experience in flavor chemistry, plant metabolomics, and chemo informatics, and 1-2 years’ experience in plant molecular genetics.
• Prior academic or research laboratory experience.
• 2+ years of people management experience.
• Experience operating and maintaining lab instrumentation such as gas chromatography – mass spectroscopy and…