Senior Breeder

Senior Breeder

Type:                 Permanent, Fulltime (38 hours per week)
Department:      Research & Development
Location:          De Lier

In action

Are you driven by the idea of developing innovative sweet pepper varieties that set new standards in the market? At Syngenta, you’ll join a passionate team as Senior Sweet Pepper Breeder and play a key role in taking our Active Greenhouse (AGH) program to the next level. From the very first cross to the moment your variety will be available in stores, you’ll transform market insights into solutions that make a real difference for growers, retailers, and consumers.

The Challenge

As a Breeder, you will lead the Active Greenhouse (AGH) sweet pepper breeding program from A to Z – from the first cross to the launch of market-ready varieties. You will combine deep technical know-how with strategic vision to design and execute breeding strategies that deliver peppers with exceptional flavour, shelf life, and sustainable production traits.
Working closely with fellow breeders, germplasm leaders, molecular specialists, trial coordinators, and other R&D colleagues, you will ensure every step of the process is driven by data, science, and performance targets for protected cultivation systems.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the AGH sweet pepper breeding program from crossing to commercial launch.
• Translate grower and market needs into clear, measurable breeding objectives.
• Manage and optimize genetic resources and breeding germplasm portfolio.
• Plan and oversee multi-location trials in the Netherlands and key international markets.
• Implement modern breeding technologies and digital tools to accelerate selection and improve outcomes.
• Maintain breeding data integrity and documentation.
• Collaborate with global pepper breeding teams to share knowledge and align strategies.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of breeding processes and resource utilization.

You’ll plan crop cycles, guide selection processes, and analyze performance data. With a foundation in traditional breeding methods, you’ll integrate modern tools and technologies where they add true value - achieving the best results through a balanced approach.