Research Associate 3

At Syngenta, our goal is to build the most collaborative and trustworthy team in agriculture, providing top-quality seeds and innovative crop protection solutions that improve farmers' success. To support this mission, Syngenta's R&D team is seeking a Research Associate 3 in Salinas, Puerto Rico. This role will support continuous nursery operations for corn and soybean by coordinating and supervising the scouting process for pests and diseases, laboratory bioassays, field traps (bug scan roll, pheromones, etc.), record keeping and reporting, and machine sprayer tasks, including but not limited to equipment calibration, nozzle selection, work orders, and insecticide/fungicide sprayings, always in compliance with company, local, and federal regulations.

In the Scouting & Sprayers Research Associate 3 role, you will spend a large amount of your time in the field to identify and take action on any potential problems with diseases and pests that may jeopardize the viability of the crops.

You will supervise and train seasonal employees in the scouting and sprayers area.

Accountabilities:

• Coordinate and supervise all scouting, bioassays, and insecticide/fungicide machine spraying activities.
• Ensure success of scouting, bioassays, and insecticide/fungicide sprayings through effective use of techniques and tools.
• Ensure compliance with all EPA, USDA, and local regulations, as well as all site HSE and quality protocols.
• Take action according to priorities based on scouting, crop stage, and pest threshold.
• Monitor the quality, quantity, and efficiency of the temporary employees' performance under your supervision.
• Ensure the use of adequate nozzle and drop combinations for each application to ensure the best results.
• Collaborate with the agronomy team in other tasks or cross-training activities, such as but not limited to IPM, land preparation, planting, and irrigation when necessary.
• Be able to assist in crops and site activities according to company needs.
• Demonstrate innovation by staying aware of emerging trends and recommending new processes, training opportunities, or techniques that will increase plant health, efficiencies, or improve skills.