R & D Manager

You will:

• Establish the long-term R&D roadmap

• Determine how new cultivars are evaluated and approved

• Create a repeatable phenohunting and selection process

• Guide decisions on propagation strategy and tissue culture utilization

• Influence production efficiency and product quality

• Advise executive leadership on technology adoption and capital investment

Key Responsibilities

Scientific Leadership & Infrastructure

•       Lead and manage Genetics, Testing, Tissue Culture, and R&D teams

•       Build laboratory capabilities including testing and tissue culture operations (design, compliance, staffing, SOPs, and workflow)

•       Establish research governance, documentation standards, and quality systems

•       Develop departmental budgets and capital plans

Research Design & Execution

•       Design scientifically sound experiments addressing cultivation, propagation, and production questions

•       Lead cultivar trials, phenohunts, and performance validation

•       Evaluate growing methods, biological inputs, and post-harvest impacts

•       Implement standardized research protocols and data collection procedures

•       Oversee statistical review and interpretation of results

Data & Decision Science

•       Develop systems for centralized research data collection and analytics

•       Convert plant performance data into actionable operational recommendations

•       Present findings and recommendations to executive leadership and operational teams

•       Provide scientific justification for production, financial, and capital decisions

Cross-Functional Integration

•       Align R&D priorities with cultivation, operations, and commercial objectives

•       Serve as the bridge between science and operational execution

•       Partner with Finance on ROI-based project evaluation

•       Advise leadership on future technologies, genetics strategy, and scaling opportunities

Performance & Quality Optimization

•       Improve cultivar performance, consistency, yield, and plant health

•       Establish validation protocols before operational rollout

•       Implement continuous improvement and quality assurance programs

Team Development

•       Recruit, mentor, and develop scientists and technical staff

•       Build a culture of scientific rigor, experimentation, and accountability

•       Create clear performance standards and development pathways for technical teams