Job ID: 3036

Role Purpose/Accountabilities:

 Lead the daily activities of the physiological testing lab to ensure that all activities are performed to meet product assessment and demand requirements. Ensure all prescribe testing protocols, methods, evaluations, interpretations and reporting meet company quality standards and in compliance with state, federal and international seed regulatory requirements. This position ensures that all lab resources (personnel, assets and materials) are effectively managed to optimize capacity utilization.

Accountabilities:

• Provide leadership for HSE compliance and continuous improvement for all QC testing activities.
• Coordinate physiological seed testing activities to maintain company quality standards, and assure that these standards reflect the Association of Official Seed Analysts, International Seed Testing Association, Canadian Seed Law, and Federal Seed Act Rules.
• Develops and implements a capacity planning program to ensure that resources are available when needed (i.e. personnel materials, equipment, etc.) and the test volume can be turned around in the required timeline.
• Organize and schedule seed testing activities to optimize capacity of laboratory .Supervise and develop staff to optimize laboratory output. Ensure quality technicians are properly trained for reliable and accurate test evaluations.
• Maintains and directs training certification program of quality technicians. Responsible for supervising and directing all on-site quality testing. Implement and direct testing through Quality Technician II & III staff.
• Monitor and supervise all testing procedures for quality and quantity.
• Coach and conduct employee performance evaluations bi-annually.
• Ensure the environment exists for generalist and imperative behaviors. Update succession planning annually.
• Supports and execute test protocol development projects as directed by PPT.
• Responsible to determine and monitor all department budgetary costs.
• Responsibility encompasses the ability to forecast needs for capital proposals.
• Monitor and supervise working conditions and repair for all testing equipment.
• Manage technical and logistical issues with service vendors for decreased repair time.
• Provide support to field production and plant conditioning in areas of technical expertise (i.e. protocols and training for weed identification and tare analysis, etc.).
• Represent the company interests at an industry level to communicate and influence change regarding seed regulatory and testing issues.
• Participate in referee testing and experimentation to identify new test methods.
• Provide diagnostic support for research, basic/commercial seed production and claims. Resolve conflicts with other laboratories and seed control officials.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience:

Grade 14 - Receives predetermined work assignments with specific instructions. Directs subordinates to achieve assignments using established guidelines, procedures and policies.
Works on problems of limited scope. Follows established practices and procedures in analyzing situation or data from which answers can be readily obtained. Monitors daily operations of a unit or sub-unit.
Provides immediate supervision to a unit or group of employees, assigning tasks and checking work at frequent intervals. A port of time is normally spent performing individual tasks related to the until or subunit . Generally supervises semi-skilled nonexempt employees.

Grade 15 - Receives assignments in the form of objects with goals and process to meet goals outlines. Provides direction to employees according to established polices and management guidance. Work is reviewed by management to measure meeting of objectives. Administers company policies that directly affect subordinate employees. Recommends changes to until or sub-unit. Works on problems of moderate scope where analysis of situation or data requires review of identifiable factors. Exercises judgment within defined procedures and polices to determine appropriate actions. Acts as advisor to unit or sub-units, becomes actively involved as require to meet schedules or resolve problems
Provides general supervision to lower level supervisors and direct supervision to exempt and/or skilled non-exempt employees.

Critical knowledge:

Objectivity; Process Orientation; Creativity; Emotional intelligence skills; Intuition and judgment; Leadership abilities; Motivation / continuous improvement Ability to reveal actions from data; Follow through; Accuracy and consistency; Flexibility (arrangements of data in multiple formats)
Grade 14 - Requires a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience and/or training in addition to the experience requirement. May require MA or PHD.
Grade 15 - Requires a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience and/or training in addition to the experience requirement. May require MA or PHD

Critical Experience:

Experience in Agriculture related to production and supply with supervisory or managerial experience.
Grade 14 - Typically requires 8 –10 years of related experience, including 2 years supervisory experience.
Grade 15 - Typically requires a minimum of 10 years related experience, including 3-5 years supervisory experience.

Critical Success Factors & Key Challenges:

• Oversee and direct the execution and evaluation of all physiological seed testing Ensure that all testing procedures and protocols are in compliance with international, federal and state seed law requirements
• Manage budget and expenses related to all seed lab activities Coordinates testing development and enhancements to ensure the leading edge technology is being applied Lead the daily activities of a quality testing lab to ensure that all activities are performed to meet product assessment and demand requirements.

Critical technical, professional, and personal capabilities:

• Background in agronomy or plant biology in the seed industry with strong technical and managerial skills

Critical Leadership Capabilities:

• Leads change management Strong personal relationship skills with a focus team leadership and developing technical employees.

Additional Information:

Travel Requirements and other information:
PHYSICAL DEMANDS OF THE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: Requires the ability to lift up to 50 pounds.
WORKING CONDITIONS WHILE PERFORMING ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: Environment includes exposure to dust, heat, cold, and seed treatment. Manual dexterity is necessary, work is repetitive in nature, and requires prolonged periods of sitting.
All applicants must be eligible to work in the U.S.

Apply to:
http://jobs.syngenta.com/job/Nampa-QUALITY-LAB-LEAD-Physiological-Testing-Job-ID-83651/1866782/