Bitki Patoloğu ve Araştırma Programı Sorumlusu

Location: Gainesville, Florida Company: GroNatural Inc. / GroPro Agricultural Division Employment Type: Full-Time Lead the Future of Crop Protection Innovation GroNatural is seeking a highly motivated and hands-on Plant Pathologist & Research Program Manager to lead our Gainesville, Florida research laboratory, greenhouse operations, and proprietary ReShape™ research platform. This position will focus exclusively on the development, evaluation, and validation of technologies targeting: • Plant fungal diseases • Plant pathogenic organisms • Seed treatment technologies • Insect management solutions The successful candidate will be responsible for managing our laboratory and greenhouse research programs while serving as the scientific leader for efficacy testing, protocol development, pathogen screening, and product validation activities. This is an ideal opportunity for an individual who enjoys both science and execution—someone who can design experiments, culture pathogens, conduct greenhouse trials, apply treatments, collect data, and drive projects forward independently. Position Summary The Plant Pathologist & Research Program Manager will oversee all laboratory, greenhouse, and controlled-environment research activities at our Gainesville facility. The role requires expertise in plant pathology, disease screening, greenhouse research, pathogen culturing, efficacy evaluation, and applied crop protection research. The individual will manage the day-to-day operation of the facility while supporting the advancement of novel technologies focused on disease control, seed protection, and insect management. This is a highly independent position requiring strong initiative, scientific rigor, and excellent organizational skills. Primary Responsibilities Plant Pathology Research • Design and execute laboratory and greenhouse efficacy studies against plant fungal pathogens. • Isolate, culture, maintain, and propagate fungal and plant pathogenic organisms. • Conduct in vitro screening assays and bioassays. • Develop disease inoculation protocols and pathogen challenge systems. • Evaluate disease incidence, severity, crop safety, and treatment performance. • Generate technical reports and recommendations based on research findings. Seed Treatment Research • Design and conduct seed treatment efficacy evaluations. • Assess seedling vigor, emergence, stand establishment, disease suppression, and plant health responses. • Evaluate biological, botanical, and conventional seed treatment technologies. • Develop screening protocols for seedborne and soilborne pathogens. Insect Management Research • Conduct laboratory and greenhouse evaluations of insect management technologies. • Maintain insect colonies when necessary. • Evaluate product efficacy against target insect pests. • Develop testing methodologies for contact, residual, and preventative insect control. Greenhouse Operations • Manage all greenhouse activities including: o Plant production o Irrigation o Fertility management o Disease inoculations o Treatment applications o Environmental monitoring o Data collection • Coordinate potted plant research trials across multiple crop systems. • Maintain research-quality greenhouse conditions and sanitation standards. ReShape™ Research Platform Management • Operate and manage GroNatural's ReShape™ testing and validation platform. • Develop new protocols and screening methodologies. • Coordinate research timelines and project execution. • Support product development and commercialization efforts. Laboratory Management • Maintain laboratory operations, equipment, inventories, and supplies. • Develop and maintain SOPs and testing procedures. • Ensure accurate documentation and data management. • Maintain compliance with laboratory safety standards. Qualifications Required • M.S. or Ph.D. in Plant Pathology, Plant Sciences, Agronomy, Horticulture, Entomology, or related discipline. • Experience conducting plant pathology research and disease screening programs. • Experience culturing and handling fungal and plant pathogenic organisms. • Experience with greenhouse research and potted plant trials. • Knowledge of disease evaluation methods and efficacy testing. • Experience applying crop protection materials in research settings. • Strong data collection, organization, and reporting skills. • Ability to work independently with minimal supervision. Preferred • Experience with seed treatment development and testing. • Experience evaluating insect control technologies. • Experience in agricultural biologicals, biopesticides, or crop protection product development. • Familiarity with commercial agriculture and product registration support studies. • Experience supervising research technicians, interns, or greenhouse staff. Desired Attributes The ideal candidate will be: • Self-motivated and entrepreneurial. • Comfortable working independently and taking ownership of projects. • Equally capable in the laboratory and greenhouse. • Passionate about agricultural innovation. • Detail-oriented with strong scientific integrity. • Able to balance multiple projects simultaneously. • Driven by generating practical, commercially relevant results. What Success Looks Like Within the first year, this individual will: • Successfully manage the Gainesville laboratory and greenhouse facility. • Establish reliable fungal pathogen screening programs. • Implement standardized seed treatment and insect efficacy protocols. • Expand the capabilities of the ReShape™ research platform. • Generate high-quality efficacy data supporting GroNatural's product development pipeline. • Serve as a key scientific contributor to the advancement of next-generation crop protection technologies. Compensation & Benefits • Competitive salary based on experience. • Performance bonus opportunities. • Career advancement potential. • Opportunity to lead a growing research program with significant autonomy. • Direct involvement in the development of innovative agricultural technologies serving global markets. If you are passionate about plant pathology, applied research, greenhouse science, and developing the next generation of crop protection technologies, we encourage you to apply.