Plant Breeding Manager – Pharmaceutical Applications

Plant Breeding Manager – Pharmaceutical Applications

Location: Confidential | Competitive Salary + Benefits

Walker Cole International are supporting in the pharmaceutical sector is seeking a Plant Breeding Manager to lead and evolve its specialist breeding program. This is a unique opportunity to drive innovation at the intersection of plant science and pharmaceutical development, focusing on the enhancement of medicinal plant varieties.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the design and execution of plant breeding strategies targeting key traits such as alkaloid content, yield, and disease resistance.
• Development and maintenance of plant clones; ongoing clone strategy, viability and assessment
• Coordinate field and greenhouse trials to assess breeding line performance.
• Apply classical and molecular breeding techniques, including marker-assisted selection and tissue culture.
• Ensure alignment with pharmaceutical quality standards and maintain full compliance with regulatory and documentation requirements.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across R&D and regulatory affairs.
• Communicate results and strategic updates to internal stakeholders and external bodies.

About You:

• MSc or PhD in Plant Breeding, Genetics, Agronomy, or related discipline.
• 5+ years of hands-on plant breeding experience, including at least 2 in a leadership capacity.
• Strong knowledge of medicinal plant species and phytochemistry.
• Familiarity with GMP, GACP, and international pharmaceutical/agricultural regulations.
• Skilled in data analysis, project management, and cross-functional collaboration.

Desirable:

• Experience with medicinal crops.
• Background in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.
• Knowledge of EMA, FDA, or WHO frameworks for botanical ingredients