The position offers a competitive salary that is commensurate with experience.
Required Education:
4 Year Degree
Internal Number: 2951245
The North Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station (NDAES) is hiring a director for the Foundation Seedstocks Program to ensure the production of high-quality Foundation seed of commercially viable varieties developed and released by the NDAES. An assistant director and hourly labor support are available to support this position. Cooperation with plant breeders, plant pathologists, entomologists, food scientists, extension agents, Research Extension Center (REC) directors, Agronomy Seed Farm (ASF) director, seed industry, commodity groups, and regulatory agencies is essential.
This position includes the following responsibilities:
A. Provide leadership for the Foundation Seedstocks Program.
Maintain compliance with state and federal seed laws and regulations.
Organize and schedule seed pricing committee meetings for spring and fall seeded crops.
Determine seed quantities needed for pre-release and release stages of all new varieties.
Coordinate state program for Wheat Quality Council’s Spring Wheat Quality Program trials.
Work with neighboring states to test and certify ND varieties under their state programs.
Serve as a resource for NDSU Extension and other partners on the Foundation Seedstocks Program, seed laws, seed certification and related subject matter.
Manage commercialization of new varieties to ensure compliance with Federal Seed Act and seed certification eligibility requirements.
Serve as liaison to NDSU Research Foundation.
Maintain cold room and manage distribution of seed.
Inspect and rogue seed fields to ensure purity.
B. Coordinate production of Foundation seed with plant breeders.
Work closely with plant breeders to coordinate Breeder seed increases.
Inspect Breeder seed increases and work with plant breeders to rogue new experimental lines to ensure high quality Breeder seed is available for first Foundation seed increase.
Maintain communications with breeders regarding seed purity issues.
C. Coordinate production of Foundation seed at seed production locations (ASF/RECs).
Communicate with location coordinators the progression of new experimental lines from NDSU breeding programs.
Coordinate planting plans and target acreage requirements with location coordinators.
Monitor progress of field inspections, review North Dakota State Seed Department (NDSSD) field inspection reports and identify any purity issues that would require purification of varieties.
Monitor NDSSD Seed Lab analysis reports for quality and work with location coordinators and certification agencies to resolve purity issues.
Monitor third-party analysis reports to ensure seed lots meet standards for adventitious presence of biotech traits.
Communicate information about new releases from neighboring AES breeding programs to identify potential opportunities.
D. Collaborate with North Dakota Crop Improvement & Seed Association (NDCISA) for distribution of newly released varieties.
Consult with NDCISA to determine seed supply needs when developing planting plans and acreage requirements with location coordinators.
Assist NDCISA with promotion and marketing of new varieties.
Serve as a resource to counties participating in county seed increase program.
Coordinate large scale testing of pre-released varieties in on-farm trials.
Cooperate with NDCISA for production of varieties licensed from out-of-state genetics providers.
E. Manage Foundation dry bean seed production, sales and distribution.
Determine production plan and states where seed will be produced.
Coordinate transfer of Breeder or Foundation seed to contract producers.
Communicate variety eligibility/objective descriptions and seed lot eligibility to certification agencies where seed is being produced.
Manage sales and marketing of Foundation dry bean seed.
Organize distribution of Foundation seed to producers.
Manage commercialization of new varieties to ensure compliance with Federal Seed Act and seed certification eligibility requirements.
F. Manage business transactions for ancillary USDA programs.
Manage financial transactions for USDA-ARS Sunflower Genetics Program and distribute germplasm.
Manage financial transactions for USDA-NRCS Bismarck Plant Material Center Grass Program.
Maintain and manage separate accounts and disburse funds when needed.
Minimum Qualifications:
B.S. degree in agronomy, plant sciences, horticulture or related area.
Experience in seed production and processing.
Experience working effectively and collegially with university faculty, Extension staff, farmers, producer and commodity groups, the media, and/or the public.
Demonstrated effective written and oral communication skills.
Demonstrated experience in operating software computer applications and technology to meet position requirements.
Willingness and ability to travel distances that require overnight stays to perform position duties.
Ability to work with multiple stakeholders, including growers, industry, commodity groups, and government entities.
Strong teamwork, interpersonal, problem solving, decision making, management, and organizational skills.
Valid US driver’s license or equivalent.
Preferred Qualifications:
M.S. degree in agronomy, plant sciences, horticulture or related area.
Experience with Northern Plains agriculture or crops, including but not limited to tillage systems, tile drainage, fertility, variety selection, seed production, and/or cultural management practices.
Experience with social media, virtual delivery platforms, and other technology to provide information on new varieties to ag audiences.
Demonstrated experience providing educational programs for Extension agents, Extension crop specialists, producers/farmers, or crop advisors.
North Dakota State University is distinctive as a student focused, land-grant, research university. Our main campus is located in Fargo, ND with Extension Service and Research Experiment Station locations across the entire state. NDSU has been listed in the Top 100 public research universities in the United States for research and development in agricultural sciences, psychology and social sciences, based on reported research expenditures.
NDSU is an exciting place to work offering a stimulating and diverse environment richly populated with people pursuing life-long learning and personal growth. Employees often attend on-campus cultural events, lectures, athletic events and enjoy walks through our beautiful campus.
NDSU employs over 6000 full-time and part-time employees across the state, making it the second largest employer in the community. NDSU is the best college in ND, according to Money Magazine (September 2018). NDSU was named a 2019 Best Value College by Forbes. Fargo made Livability.com’s top 10 list of cities to find a job and ranked at #11 for best places to live overall.
NDSU offers a wide array of professional opportunities including faculty, executi...ve, managerial, professional, technical, paraprofessional, office support, servers and crafts/trades. Like a small city, NDSU operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Full time employees are offered a superb benefit package to include 100% company paid health insurance premiums and tuition assistance for employees and immediate family members. All of us at NDSU play an important role in serving our students and public constituencies. We encourage motivated and talented team members that thrive in a higher-ed environment to join our university!
Mission
With energy and momentum, North Dakota State University addresses the needs and aspirations of people in a changing world by building on our land-grant foundation.
North Dakota State University is distinctive as a student focused, land-grant, research university. Our main campus is located in Fargo, ND with Extension Service and Research Experiment Station locations across the entire state. NDSU has been listed in the Top 100 public research universities in the United States for research and development in agricultural sciences, psychology and social sciences, based on reported research expenditures.
NDSU is an exciting place to work offering a stimulating and diverse environment richly populated with people pursuing life-long learning and personal growth. Employees often attend on-campus cultural events, lectures, athletic events and enjoy walks through our beautiful campus.
NDSU employs over 6000 full-time and part-time employees across the state, making it the second largest employer in the community. NDSU is the best college in ND, according to Money Magazine (September 2018). NDSU was named a 2019 Best Value College by Forbes. Fargo made Livability.com’s top 10 list of cities to find a job and ranked at #11 for best places to live overall.
NDSU offers a wide array of professional opportunities including faculty, executive, managerial, professional, technical, paraprofessional, office support, servers and crafts/trades. Like a small city, NDSU operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Full time employees are offered a superb benefit package to include 100% company paid health insurance premiums and tuition assistance for employees and immediate family members. All of us at NDSU play an important role in serving our students and public constituencies. We encourage motivated and talented team members that thrive in a higher-ed environment to join our university!
Mission
With energy and momentum, North Dakota State University addresses the needs and aspirations of people in a changing world by building on our land-grant foundation.