Research Associate I, Potato Breeding
Content + Source + Freshness • 12 Dec 2025 • 95% confidence
Offer value
Valuable opportunity for early-career scientists, competitive salary, but limited seniority and scope of decision-making.
- Salary: $60,000–$78,000/year
- Opportunity to work on innovative breeding methods
- Ideal for early-career researchers
- Limited scope for decision-making authority
Pros
- Salary range of $60,000 - $78,000/year for entry to mid-level positions
- Chance to contribute to innovative plant breeding programs
- Hands-on research experience in a growing biotech company
Cons
- Limited decision-making authority and scope of impact
- Possibility of routine tasks without significant project variety
- Entry-level roles may have less job stability
Who it's for
Entry / Early Career • On-site
Good fit
- Early-career scientists passionate about agriculture
- Candidates willing to learn in a research-focused role
- Individuals comfortable in collaborative environments
Not recommended for
- Experienced professionals looking for higher-level positions
- Job seekers wanting more autonomy
- Candidates preferring remote work
Motivation fit
Key skills
About the job
Position Title: Research Associate I, Potato Breeding
Location: Watsonville, CA
Type: Full-time
Ohalo™ is seeking an organized and detailed-oriented Research Associate I to join the potato breeding team and take ownership of greenhouse nursery activities within our innovative potato program. This role is ideal for a driven early-career scientist who is eager to innovate and grow professionally in a fast-paced, high-impact startup environment. The Research Associate will play a critical role in the execution of Ohalo’s groundbreaking Boosted Breeding™ platform, managing key processes in greenhouse, data collection, and material advancement to enable revolutionary gains in crop yield and breeding efficiency.
Responsibilities:
- Take partial ownership of planning and executing particular nursery activities to ensure high-quality seed production
- Assess plant vigor, yield, and desirable agronomic characteristics across greenhouse and field trials to identify top-performing genetic material
- Maintain accurate and organized records of plants, seed inventory, and breeding progress across environments and generations.
- Collaborate with greenhouse operators to ensure optimal plant health and generation time
- Work with Research Associates and Scientists to execute experiments, analyze data, and communicate results for a variety of experiments simultaneously
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s Degree in Plant Sciences or Related Fields.
- Ability to accurately follow, develop, and communicate detailed plans
- Hands-on approach with a history of success
- Must be detail-oriented, well-organized, and good at record keeping
- Positive attitude and good interpersonal skills
- Ability to work creatively in a dynamic, data driven start-up environment
- Strong organizational skills
Preferred Qualifications:
- 1+ years of hands-on experience with potato crossing and germplasm curation/management
- Experience managing data and using statistical analysis to drive decisions
The anticipated pay range for this role is $60,000 - $78,000 per year for our Watsonville, CA location. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, budget availability, internal equity, geographic location and external market pay for comparable jobs.
About Ohalo Genetics:
Ohalo™ aims to accelerate evolution to unlock nature's potential. Founded in 2019, Ohalo develops novel breeding systems and improved plant varieties that help farmers grow more food with fewer natural resources, increasing the yield, resiliency, and genetic diversity of crops to sustainably feed our population. Ohalo's breakthrough technology, Boosted Breeding™, will usher in a new era of improved productivity to radically transform global agriculture. For more information, visit www.ohalo.com.
Notes: If you previously applied for a job at Ohalo Genetics, we encourage you to restate your interest in the position by submitting your application.
No visa sponsorship is available for this position at this time.
No recruiters, please.
