New Job Plant Pathology Technician In Saskatchewan

You can be part of an inclusive team of diverse talent and character. In this diversity lies our greatest strength.

Description

Create Your Own Chemistry: What We Offer You

At BASF, we create chemistry through the power of connected minds. By balancing economic success with environmental protection and social responsibility, we are building a more sustainable future through chemistry. As the world’s leading chemical company, we help our customers in nearly every industry meet the current and future needs of society through science and innovation.

We provide a fulfilling work environment with a strong emphasis on the physical and psychological safety of our employees and the communities we operate in. We are always working to form the best team with an emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion and through lifelong learning and development.

We are constantly striving to become an even better place to work. BASF Canada has been proudly recognized as one of Canada's & GTA’s Best 100 Employers in 2023 and for many years. We have also been recognized as Canada’s Safest Employer in Chemical Manufacturing for several consecutive years, in addition to receiving a Bronze medal for providing a Psychologically Safe workplace. Most recently, we were thrilled to be recognized as a Forbes 2022 Canada’s Best Employers for Diversity.

We invite you to join our best team on our journey to create solutions for a sustainable future!

Plant Pathology Technician (2300144) – Saskatoon, SK

Where the Chemistry Happens…

This job exists to help in screening transgenic and traditional canola breeding lines for resistance to various diseases under field and controlled environments, thereby helping to generate disease data to support registration of new InVigor hybrids. As well, the job plays a significant role in characterizing stains of various pathogens, in order to identify emerging virulent pathotypes to guard against and to use as inoculum for field and greenhouse screening. The Job also contributes to screening identified novel sources for resistance to important canola diseases.

Formula for Success: You Will…

To accomplish greenhouse disease screening when introducing resistance genes into parental lines in various greenhouse projects. Involves seeding plants or obtains seeded plants from greenhouse Technicians. Prepares inoculum in the pathology lab, inoculates plants. Rates inoculated plants timely. Uploads results to the data base. Informs responsible parties about completed data. This provides data validating the presence of R-genes against diseases such as blackleg and clubroot in new parental lines.

To conduct field screening in disease nurseries in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Alberta. Involves seed set-up in spring, participates in seeding nurseries in Saskatchewan, responsible for plant maintenance such as ensuring pest management during the growing season. Travels to each of 3 prairie provinces in collaboration with other pathology team members, to participate in disease ratings. Conducts disease ratings of parents, hybrids and exotic germplasm at the end. This provides data to support registration of new hybrids and discovery of new resistance donors.

Characterizing strains of fungal pathogens. Collects disease-infested stubble from the field. Isolates fungal cultures on artificial media, purifies isolates by single sporing them. Inoculates a host differential with single spores to identify different pathotypes within a particular pathogen such as Leptosphaeria maculans which causes blackleg. This provides inoculum for use in field and greenhouse screening. Also helps to identity virulent strains that can overcome resistance as targets for addition resistance development.

Screening new resistance donors and mapping population. Involved in screening donors to characterize resistance. Seeds plants that are potential donors identified in GH or Field screening, prepares inoculum, inoculates plants, rates plants for resistance and submits for further selections. Occasionally makes crosses to produce F2 or Backcross mapping populations. The output are novel R-genes for use in the breeding program.

Handling phenotypic data and planning on electronic devices/software. Uses the Prism data base to download Disease field books to electronic devices. Inputs disease rating scores into a handheld device via excel spreadsheets. Collects disease data on handled devices. Uploads disease data back to Prism from excel. Makes disease data available to other users for statistical analysis and for germplasm selection by breeders e.g., for supporting hybrid registration or parental line selections.

Disease screening Protocol development / updates. From time-to-time reviews existing protocols related disease. Evaluates potential improvements to artificial media for use in fungal spore production. identify efficient inoculum carriers for field inoculation. Adapt protocols to new diseases such as the now recently added, verticillium stripe disease. This culminates into more efficient screening protocols and better inoculum production for field or greenhouse screening.

Qualifications

Ingredients for Success: What We Look for in You…

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Biological Sciences, Applied Microbiology, Plant Pathology or equivalent. Master’s Degree is an asset.

Experience

1 - 3 years work experience in plant pathology or plant breeding.

Experience with plant pathogens essential during disease screening and pathotyping of different strains.

Experience with various methods used in disease evaluations or ratings, to complete tasks more efficiently.

Experience with small plot research and conducting field experiments in different locations.

Experience working in agriculture and with Ag equipment added benefit.

Knowledge/Skills

Skilled in fungal culture isolations and technics under sterile conditions.

Knowledge in plant science/genetics and plant resistance evaluations against diseases.

Ability to work independently as well as contributing to a teamwork in a diverse and multi-departmental work environment.

Knowledge of statistics, experimental designs, databases and MS office suite to help generate reliable data sets.

Create Your Own Chemistry: What We Offer You

Adding value to our customers begins with adding value to you. You@BASF is the suite of benefits, perks, programs and unique opportunities we offer to support you – the whole you – in all stages of your life and career. With you@BASF, you create your own chemistry.

The total rewards that you receive as a BASF employee go way beyond a paycheck. From competitive health and insurance plans to robust retirement benefits that include company-matching contributions, to making sure you never stop learning, we believe investing in you is investing in our success. Working for a large, global organization, you’ll have a chance to grow professionally and personally, expand your network and build a rewarding and dynamic career. We also provide engaging learning and development opportunities to help you make the most of your talents and your role.

Inclusion and Equal Opportunity Employment

BASF is dedicated to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where our employees can be their authentic selves. We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, age, citizenship, place of origin, ethnic origin, colour, religion/creed, sex/pregnancy, marital status, family status, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We seek to make our recruitment process accessible for applicants with disabilities. If you require accommodations or support throughout the recruitment process, please contact [email protected] with the subject line “Recruitment Accommodation Request”.

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