Position Title: Field Technical Development Lead

Location: Watsonville, CA or Bakersfield, CA (with 25-50% travel) 

Type: Full-time

Reports into: Breeding

 Opportunity: Ohalo has developed the world’s first true hybrid potato seed system using its proprietary Boosted Breeding platform. This unprecedented advancement unlocks a step-change in potato farming, giving growers the ability to move from seed potato to true seed. Successful deployment of true seed requires rigorous variety testing alongside agronomic systems development.  

Ohalo is seeking a Field Tech Dev Lead to support the development of hybrid true potato seed varieties from late-stage breeding through commercial readiness. Responsibilities include coordinating agronomic system development for planting, fertility, and crop protection with grower partners, coordinating field trials and early commercial trials across the US, data gathering and implementation of data collection systems, and feedback and support of grower partners and the broader Ohalo potato breeding organization.

The ideal candidate combines strong technical expertise in agronomic systems development with a detail-oriented approach to trial design and data gathering, and service-oriented approach to working with grower partners.  

Key Responsibilities

• Design, execute, and analyze regional and on-farm trials to validate performance, stability, and agronomic fit of new true seed hybrids.
• Design and test multivariate agronomic systems to optimize in-field performance of new true seed hybrids.
• Ensure robust data gathering of commercial and breeding field trials. 
• Support grower partners throughout field and commercial trials with in-field agronomic planning, in-season data gathering, and post-harvest phenotyping and data collection. 
• Serve as the technical bridge between breeding and commercial teams.
• Provide technical input into variety positioning, launch planning, and market adoption, leveraging insights from trials to deliver field-ready agronomic recommendations.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in Agronomy, Plant Science, Horticulture, Crop Science, or a related field. 
• 5+ years of direct experience coordinating agronomic systems and methods testing and deployment.
• Hands-on experience designing and managing field trials across multiple environments.
• Familiarity with production-scale constraints and process control (sampling plans, SOP validation, QC thresholds).
• Highly organized and data-oriented with a strong capacity for building standardized and scalable methods for data collection and grower communication. 
• Excellent communication skills. Ability to interpret agronomic and performance data and translate it into insights and documentation.
• Comfortable working in a fast-moving, fluid, collaborative, and innovative environment.
• Willingness to travel as needed to trial sites and partner locations. Travel amount will vary depending on activities for the timing of the year i.e. planting, harvesting, etc. (10%-50%+).
• Highly motivated with a strong drive to meet company objectives.
• Comfortable utilizing technological advancements, including AI and similar methodologies, to drive continuous improvements.
• Innovative, proactive, and strategic thinker with a confident and humble approach to collaboration and problem-solving.
• Excited to change the world with a novel hybrid seed program in the world’s third largest calorie crop. 

Preferred Experience

• Strong digital agronomy experience and expertise.
• Direct experience supporting launches of new hybrid seeds across international markets.
• Familiarity with agronomic systems and grower adoption dynamics in the potato industry.

The anticipated pay range that we reasonably expect to pay for this role is $100,000 - $150,000 for Watsonville, CA. Individual compensation is based on various factors including experience, education, skillset, and other relevant qualifications. 

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.

Position Title: Greenhouse Technician

Location: South San Francisco, CA

Time Type: Full Time

The Opportunity:

Ohalo is seeking candidates with a passion for hands-on work growing plants to join our greenhouse team. Greenhouse Technicians will produce beautiful, healthy plants to support a team of scientists who seek to revolutionize plant breeding. Job responsibilities include planting, transplanting, watering, scouting for pests and disease, weeding, data collection, seed harvesting and processing, and performing controlled pollinations. The successful candidate will be safety-aware, efficient, reliable, and responsible. The candidate must also be willing and able to perform repetitive physical tasks such as potting and planting within the greenhouse. Previous greenhouse or field experience is beneficial, but not required.

Responsibilities:

• Daily care and upkeep of multiple species of plants
• Interact with scientists to accurately collect and record data using an electronic notebook
• Scouting for and manually removing pests and weeds, as well as applying beneficial insects to control pests
• Pesticide applications, reporting, and record keeping
• Prepare media for planting, plant or transplant seeds, cuttings, and other propagules
• Monitor and adjust irrigation, nutrient, lighting and climate to optimize plant health 
• Harvest, process, record, and organize seed
• Maintain a clean and safe work environment
• Maintain security of company information including trade secrets

Candidate Profile:

• Basic knowledge of plant science, horticulture and plant materials, propagation, and pest management
• Ability to collaborate with diverse and creative teams
• Ability to problem solve and find solutions
• Detail oriented and takes a proactive approach to routine tasks
• Ability to lift 50 pounds
• Ability to perform repetitive tasks for several hours
• Must be able to work weekends
• Ability to hold a California driver’s license and potential to be covered by a company vehicle insurance plan

Below is the pay range for this position that we reasonably expect to pay. Individual compensation is based on various factors including experience, education, skillset, and other relevant qualifications. This range is for the South San Francisco, CA location and may be adjusted to the labor market in other geographic areas.

Anticipated compensation: $29.50/hr

About Ohalo: 

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.

Ohalo is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. Ohalo is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please let your recruiter know if you need an accommodation at any point during the interview process.

No visa sponsorship is available for this position at this time. 

This organization participates in E-Verify. Posters linked here. 

No recruiters, please.

Position Title: Commercial Potato Breeder

Location: Watsonville, CA with 25-50% travel

Type: Full-time

 
Opportunity:
Ohalo is seeking a Commercial Potato Breeder to lead the advancement of potato varieties from late-stage development through commercial readiness. This role sits at the intersection of breeding, agronomy, and commercial execution, ensuring new varieties perform consistently across environments and meet the needs of growers, processors, and partners. This person works closely to align our product direction and production efforts with the needs and successful results of our growers.

The ideal candidate combines strong technical expertise in potato variety development with a practical, field-oriented mindset and the ability to collaborate closely with internal R&D teams and external stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead late-stage variety development activities for potato programs, including multi-location field trials and pre-commercial evaluations that align with the Ohalo commercial go-to-market strategy.
• Design, execute, and analyze regional and on-farm trials to validate performance, stability, and agronomic fit.
• Serve as the technical bridge between R&D, product, and commercial teams, translating data into clear deliverables.
• Own the product registration & UPOV process in a global landscape. 
• Partner with growers, processors, and other external collaborators to support trial execution and feedback to support and drive commercial sales and vision.
• Collect, synthesize, and communicate trial results to internal stakeholders in a clear, actionable way.
• Evaluate varieties against commercial benchmarks (yield, quality, disease resistance, storage, processing traits, etc.).
• Provide technical input into variety positioning, launch planning, and market segmentation as it aligns with our commercial organization.
• Support continuous improvement of Ohalo’s variety development and evaluation processes.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or higher in Agronomy, Plant Science, Horticulture, Crop Science, or a related field. 
• 5+ years of direct experience in potato variety development, agronomy, or commercial seed systems.
• Hands-on experience designing and managing field trials across multiple environments.
• Familiarity with production-scale constraints and process control (sampling plans, SOP validation, QC thresholds).
• Strong understanding of potato production systems, grower needs, and commercial success factors.
• Excellent communication skills. Ability to interpret agronomic and performance data and translate it into commercial insights.
• Comfortable working in a fast-moving, fluid, collaborative, and innovative environment.
• Willingness to travel as needed to trial sites and partner locations. Travel amount will vary depending on activities for the timing of the year i.e. planting, harvesting, etc. (10%-50%).
• Highly motivated with a strong drive to meet company objectives.
• Comfortable utilizing technological advancements, including AI and similar methodologies, to drive continuous improvement in alignment with company strategy.
• Innovative, proactive, and strategic thinker with a confident and humble approach to collaboration and problem-solving.

Preferred Experience

• Direct experience supporting commercial launches of new potato varieties.
• Familiarity with seed multiplication systems and grower adoption dynamics, in particular relating to the potato industry.
• Experience working with processors &/or fresh market channels.
• Exposure to advanced breeding technologies or biotech-enabled crop development.

About Ohalo: 

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.

Ohalo is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. Ohalo is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please let your recruiter know if you need an accommodation at any point during the interview process.

No visa sponsorship is available for this position at this time. 

This organization participates in E-Verify. Posters linked here. 

No recruiters, please.