Bio Statistician – Data Scientist

Bio Statistician – Data Scientist

The company

ASUR PLANT BREEDING is a French breeder, member of the SAATEN-UNION group.  Its shareholders are four German families, and 3 French agricultural cooperatives: Ceresia, Terre-Atlantique and CAVAC.  ASUR PB’s headquarters and main research facilities are located in Estrées-Saint-Denis (60), located west of Compiègne and about 80 km north of Paris. The company is known for the quality of its products, its dynamism and its creativity.

ASUR PLANT BREEDING creates hybrid wheat varieties and conventional wheat and barley varieties. Its varieties are marketed throughout Europe by the SAATEN-UNION network. ASUR Plant Breeding is considered one of the main wheat breeders in Europe, and has experienced a very strong development in conventional wheat in recent years, including CHEVIGNON, the leading variety grown in France and Europe.

Cereals are a strategic source of protein, for the food security of the world’s growing population. However, they are under pressure from climate change. In its role as a plant breeder, ASUR Plant Breeding is proactively addressing this challenge to provide sustainable solutions, enhancing resistance to abiotic and biotic stress, relying on fewer inputs (chemical fertilisers, pesticides and herbicides).

ASUR Plant Breeding is boosting its creativity through its collaboration “Breeding for Europe”, a strategic alliance between NORDSAAT, a German breeder, and ELSOMS WHEAT, an English plant breeder.  It is a form of collective intelligence that pools resources and skills to create varieties adapted to each European region and embrace innovative technological approaches.

Innovation involves strengthening the role of biostatistics. In collaboration with the Breeding Department, your role is to help optimise the creation of varieties to respond more effectively to future challenges.

The job

Within our Molecular Breeding Unit, we continuously aim to develop new methodologies and tools in the context of data-driven and predictive breeding using molecular and environmental data and supporting our breeding programs with statistical analyses and visualisation of results.

The missions :

• Use state-of-the-art statistical methods applied to plant breeding
• Perform biostatistical analyses integrating genotypic and phenotypic information
• Propose and develop research projects to improve current workflows
• Develop a flow of information for the benefit of the Molecular Breeding Unit and the diverse stakeholders
• Communicate and report on ongoing projects
• Maintain a scientific network
• Participate and collaborate in the organisation’s transverse projects

The tasks :

• contribute to multidisciplinary projects in direct collaboration with breeders
• participate in the implementation of new genetic tools and methods (AI, deep learning etc.) and contribute to user support
• analyse international multiyear/multilocation trial data and identify marker-trait associations
• contribute to the genomic prediction program to identify favourable individuals for advancement into subsequent generations
• keep up with scientific developments
• reporting to management and stakeholders
• support phenotyping in the field, manually and technology-based

You can expect a challenging job with the opportunity for evolution in a developing, international environment. Most activities will work in project management mode, including regular meetings and updates to ensure meeting  expectations and needs.

Required profile

English language skills are mandatory and speaking German and / or French is a plus

• Autonomous and rigorous
• Team-oriented and communicate well
• Curious and dynamic; you have the ability and the desire to update your skills
• You have a PhD with a strong background in biostatistics or bioinformatics

Comments

Application (CV + covering letter) to be sent using the form below.

• Location: Estrées-St-Denis (France) with possibilities to travel
• Salary according to the experience + company’s benefits
• Working time: full time