Principal Specialist – Molecular Marker Technologies

About the role

BASF Agricultural Solutions is seeking a Principal Specialist to lead the development and implementation of molecular marker technologies that enhance breeding efficiency. Based in Davis, CA, you will work within the Agricultural Solutions team to translate genetic information into practical variety improvements.

Key responsibilities

• Initiate and execute internal molecular assisted breeding (MAB) projects aligned with global R&D strategies.
• Design and recommend best‑practice methods in collaboration with R&D, QA, Production, and M&S.
• Lead the research team, set operational plans, and monitor short‑ and long‑term research goals.
• Develop and validate tools, diagnostic markers, and genotyping technologies.
• Perform QTL mapping, GWAS analysis, and data interpretation for new molecular markers.
• Maintain integrated genetic maps, marker sets, and genome‑wide marker portfolios.

Required profile

• Strong background in plant genetics, molecular breeding, or related R&D fields.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary research teams.
• Ability to travel 5‑10% domestically and internationally.
• Excellent collaboration skills with breeding, bioinformatics, and analytics groups.

Required skills

• Molecular marker technologies
• Molecular assisted breeding (MAB)
• Quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping
• Genome‑wide association studies (GWAS)
• Data analysis and interpretation
• Genetic linkage mapping
• Infinium XT platform
• Genotyping technology validation
• Bioinformatics tools

What we offer

• Competitive salary range $110,261 – $168,000 per year.
• Permanent position with local telecommuting permitted.
• Opportunity to work on cutting‑edge agricultural genomics.
• Collaborative environment within a global leader in sustainable agriculture.