Department of Plant Production Ecology

We are looking for someone who wants to contribute to the variety testing of future cultivation materials, its implementation, development, and quality assurance.

The Unit for Variety Testing of Agricultural Crops tests and evaluates the performance of market varieties and is part of the Department of Plant Production Ecology. With us, you will be part of an active collaboration within the industry, with authorities, plant breeders, and trial conductors. You will participate in conducting and evaluating field trials of both market varieties and new varieties of agricultural crops across Sweden. Together with our partners, trials, evaluations, and compilation of results will be carried out. We develop and disseminate important results for research, stakeholders, and the public.

Are you ready to take the next step in a key role within cultivation materials and research? Then this is the position for you!

About the Job

In this position, you will work with a wide range of tasks that vary depending on the season. Your main responsibilities include trial planning, processing and compiling trial results, as well as reporting and assessing new varieties. You will also conduct inspections of variety trials, ensure their quality, and document their usability.

In collaboration with our partners, you will contribute to the development and quality assurance of variety testing. Your work will involve active participation in meetings with authorities, trial conductors, plant breeders, and variety representatives.

The tasks are flexibly distributed and vary depending on the season. During periods of high workload, especially between August and December, it is expected that work within variety testing will be prioritized over other tasks. The work may also involve temporary peaks in workload.

The position offers great freedom regarding tasks and work structure, as well as the opportunity to actively contribute to the development and quality assurance of Swedish variety testing. At the same time, the role requires a high level of commitment and responsibility, especially concerning collaboration with various actors and delivering results within established timeframes and with high quality. It is desirable that you apply for research grants to complement the tasks and questions of variety testing.

The position also includes travel as part of the job responsibilities.

Your Background

We are looking for someone who has an interest and good knowledge of agricultural crops and plant cultivation, as well as a particular interest in field trials, plant varieties, and their interaction with various cultivation conditions. You want to actively contribute to the development of both today's and tomorrow's plant cultivation and see the potential in working with the challenges present in this area. In the role, you will interact with various actors from the industry, such as trial conductors, authorities, advisors, plant breeders, and researchers.

You also see the opportunity to link this assignment to your own research and to use the infrastructure of variety testing to strengthen and develop your own research activities. We are looking for a person who is engaged, responsible, and has high quality standards for their work, while also being solution-oriented and able to work both independently and in a team.

• Have a PhD and a relevant academic background.
• Have good knowledge of the challenges in plant cultivation and the agricultural crops relevant to Swedish plant cultivation.
• Master Swedish in both spoken and written form.
• Have experience with field trials and processing statistical results from them.
• Hold a valid driver's license in Sweden.

It is advantageous if:

• Your research interests can be linked to issues within variety testing and plant breeding.
• You have experience collaborating with various actors in research, authorities, and the agricultural sector.

Great emphasis will be placed on personal qualities, such as good collaboration skills, attention to detail, and a solution-oriented approach to work.

About Us

The Department of Plant Production Ecology develops knowledge about plant cultivation systems to meet the demands for quantity and quality regarding food, animal feed, and bio-resources in a sustainable way in a changing world. The research focuses on the challenges arising from increased demand, climate change, environmental impact, and loss of biodiversity related to agricultural and food systems.

The Unit for Variety Testing of Agricultural Crops tests and evaluates the performance of market varieties and is responsible for VCU testing of new varieties of all relevant agricultural crops in field trials distributed across Sweden. Additionally, we also test varieties on a smaller scale in organic trials.

Teaching occurs at both undergraduate and advanced levels primarily within programs leading to degrees in agronomy and biology.

Read more about the department here https://www.slu.se/institutioner/vaxtproduktionsekologi/ (https://www.slu.se/institutioner/vaxtproduktionsekologi/)

Read more about Variety Testing here: https://www.slu.se/institutioner/vaxtproduktionsekologi/resurser/sortprovning---ny/ (https://www.slu.se/institutioner/vaxtproduktionsekologi/resurser/sortprovning---ny/)

Read more about our benefits and what it is like to work at SLU at https://www.slu.se/om-slu/jobba-pa-slu/ (https://www.slu.se/om-slu/jobba-pa-slu/)

Location:

Uppsala, or by agreement.

Employment Type:

Permanent employment. SLU may apply a probationary period.

Extent:

50-70% of full-time, or by agreement.

Start Date:

As soon as possible, or by agreement.

Application:

Welcome with your application via the application button below by 2025-04-22.

Union Contacts:

https://internt.slu.se/min-anstallning/facket/kontaktpersoner/ (https://internt.slu.se/min-anstallning/facket/kontaktpersoner/)

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) plays a key role in the development of sustainable life, based on science and education. Through our focus on the interactions between humans, animals, and ecosystems and responsible use of natural resources, we contribute to sustainable societal development and good living conditions on our planet. Main locations are Alnarp, Umeå, and Uppsala, but operations are also conducted at research stations, trial parks, and educational sites across the country.

SLU has over 3000 employees, 5000 students and doctoral students, and a turnover of over three billion SEK. The university invests in attractive environments on its campuses. We work for an equal and inclusive work environment where open conversations between people with different experiences lay the foundation for scientific rigor, creativity, and development. We therefore welcome individuals from diverse backgrounds and perspectives to apply for the current position.