Syngenta Crop Protection, a world market leader in innovative crop protection headquartered in Switzerland and ranked as a top employer by Science Journal, is hiring an R&D Scientist 1 for its Crop Protection Field Development Team in Lincoln, Nebraska. This remote-across-Nebraska full-time role will conduct agricultural science research throughout the state as an active member of the Heartland Region’s Crop Protection Field Development team — leading early-stage field trials across weed, insect, and plant pathogen management, biological solutions, and seed care. If you are a field-driven agricultural scientist ready to pioneer the next generation of crop protection solutions with the world’s leading agroscience company, this role is your next career move.
About Syngenta Crop Protection — World Agroscience Leader
Global Leader: World market leader in crop protection — headquartered in Switzerland with operations across 100+ countries worldwide
Mission: Pioneering solutions that safeguard global food security while championing sustainable agriculture for farmers worldwide
Innovation: Uniting advanced science with digital solutions to develop intelligent crop protection that maximizes yields while minimizing environmental impact
Recognition: Ranked as a top employer by Science Journal — a leading destination for agricultural and plant science research careers
Culture: Building the most collaborative and trustworthy team in agriculture — celebrating belonging, collaboration, and professional development
Equal Opportunity: Syngenta is an Equal Opportunity Employer — committed to diversity, inclusion, and a workplace free from discrimination
Lincoln, Nebraska — Heartland Region Field Development
Base: Lincoln, NE — operating remotely across Nebraska as part of Syngenta’s Heartland Region Crop Protection Field Development Team
Territory: Nebraska statewide field research and trial operations — with occasional travel outside the designated Heartland territory
Work Mode: Remote across Nebraska — field-based role requiring strong self-management and independent operation in agricultural environments
Travel: Up to 25% travel within assigned Nebraska territory — plus occasional out-of-territory travel for regional collaboration
R&D Science Scope — Crop Protection Field Development
Primary Research Focus: Early-stage field trials across all key crop protection disciplines in Nebraska:
Weed ScienceEntomologyPlant PathologyNematologyBiological SolutionsSeed CareBiostimulantsField Efficacy TrialsBiological ProfilingLabel DevelopmentData AnalysisTrial Management
Position Overview
The R&D Scientist 1 at Syngenta Crop Protection in Lincoln, Nebraska is a scientifically rigorous and field-active research role within one of the world’s most respected agroscience organizations. As a member of the Heartland Region’s Crop Protection Field Development team, you will lead and conduct early-stage agricultural research trials throughout Nebraska — focusing on insect, weed, and plant pathogen management as well as seed care and biological solutions. This is not a laboratory-only role. The R&D Scientist is in the field — planting trials, operating agricultural equipment, collecting data, and directly contributing to the science that shapes Syngenta’s next generation of crop protection products and label innovations.
You will oversee and collaborate on quality efficacy trials, support comprehensive biological profiling, and contribute to label creation for both new and existing product concepts across all crop types and indications within the Nebraska territory. You will participate in or lead project planning and experimental design, ensure the effective implementation of research trials, and analyze resulting data to provide science-backed recommendations for product development. You will also collaborate with universities, extension partners, and contract research organizations to ensure Syngenta products are properly represented in the broader Nebraska agricultural research landscape.
For an agricultural scientist with a master’s degree or PhD in Weed Science, Entomology, or Plant Pathology — and a passion for applied field research that directly impacts how American farmers protect their crops — the Syngenta R&D Scientist role in Lincoln, NE offers a career opportunity that combines scientific rigor, field autonomy, and the resources of the world’s leading crop protection company in one genuinely exciting package.
Why This Role Matters: As R&D Scientist 1 at Syngenta Crop Protection in Lincoln Nebraska, you conduct field research that directly shapes the crop protection solutions protecting America’s food supply, work with the world market leader in agroscience across weed science, entomology, plant pathology, biologicals, and seed care disciplines, operate with genuine research autonomy across Nebraska’s agricultural landscape while backed by Syngenta’s global R&D infrastructure and resources, receive a full benefits package from day one including medical, dental, vision, 401k with company match, profit sharing, and maternity and paternity leave, and build a career at a company ranked as a top employer by Science Journal.
Key Responsibilities
Field Research Trials & Efficacy Studies
- Conduct early-stage research trials throughout Nebraska with a primary emphasis on insect management, weed control, and plant pathogen management — as well as studies related to seed care treatments and biological solutions including biostimulants and biologicals
- Oversee and collaborate on quality efficacy trials that support comprehensive biological profiling and label creation for both new Syngenta product concepts and existing products across all crop types and indications within the Heartland Region
- Apply hands-on farming skills and operate agricultural planting, tillage, and application equipment in the field — ensuring trials are established, maintained, and harvested according to Syngenta’s research protocols and GEP (Good Experimental Practice) standards
- Generate innovative research solutions, challenge established protocols where improvement is possible, and implement novel approaches to field trial design and data collection that push the boundaries of crop protection science
Project Planning & Experimental Design
- Participate in or independently lead project planning and the development of experimental objectives — ensuring that trial designs are scientifically sound, statistically appropriate, and aligned with Syngenta’s Crop Protection Field Development strategic priorities
- Ensure the effective implementation of all assigned trials — managing trial logistics, resource coordination, and timeline adherence to deliver quality data within defined project timelines
- Facilitate the generation and acquisition of relevant data and information from field trials — maintaining comprehensive and accurate trial records that support subsequent data analysis and regulatory documentation
Data Analysis & Product Development Support
- Analyze trial data from field efficacy studies — applying appropriate statistical methods to evaluate product performance, crop response, and biological activity across all assessed trial parameters
- Develop data-driven recommendations for further product development — identifying opportunities for expanding product labels, exploring new crop applications, and implementing innovative solutions based on trial findings
- Supply detailed technical data and documentation to support specific labeling initiatives at the local, state, and regional levels — providing the scientific evidence base that enables new and expanded product registrations
University, Extension & Partner Collaboration
- Organize and manage trials in collaboration with Nebraska universities, land-grant extension partners, and contract research organizations — ensuring that Syngenta crop protection products and solutions are properly represented and recommended within the state’s research and extension network
- Deliver technical support to internal and external customers — conducting training sessions, organizing and overseeing demonstration trials, and facilitating education activities that advance both Syngenta’s commercial goals and the broader agricultural community’s knowledge
- Work collaboratively with other Syngenta departments to optimize efficiency between Crop Protection Field Development and the broader Syngenta organization — contributing to a cross-functional team culture of scientific excellence and operational effectiveness
Requirements & Qualifications
Education Requirements
- Master of Science (MS) degree in Weed Science, Entomology, Plant Pathology/Nematology, or a closely related agricultural science field — this is a mandatory minimum requirement for the R&D Scientist 1 position
- PhD in Weed Science, Entomology, Plant Pathology/Nematology, or related agricultural science is desired — PhD candidates qualify with 3 years of experience vs. 5 years required for MS-level candidates
Experience Requirements
- Minimum 5 years of agricultural science experience including applied sciences training — required for MS-level candidates
- Minimum 3 years of agricultural science experience including applied sciences training — required for PhD-level candidates
- Demonstrated experience conducting biological field trials to evaluate the efficacy and crop response of insect, disease, and weed control products, biostimulants, and biologicals using relevant experimental techniques
- Excellent agronomy and crop production knowledge — including basic farming skills and hands-on experience with agricultural planting, tillage, and crop protection application equipment
- Willingness to work beyond normal workday hours during peak field research seasons — crop science research follows the growing season, not a standard 9-to-5 schedule
Syngenta Full Benefits Package — From Day One
Health Coverage: Full Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance — benefits begin on your very first day of employment
Retirement: 401k plan with company match — plus Profit Sharing and Retirement Savings Contribution
Time Off: Paid vacation, paid holidays, maternity leave, and paternity leave
Education: Education Assistance program supporting continuous learning and professional development
Wellness: Corporate Wellness Programs and employee discount programs
Work-Life Balance: Flexible work options and a culture that genuinely strives to support team member wellbeing
Recognition: Syngenta ranked as a top employer by Science Journal — a company where scientific excellence is recognized and rewarded
About Syngenta Crop Protection Excellence
Syngenta Crop Protection is one of the most respected names in global agricultural science — a world market leader in innovative crop protection technologies headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, with a mission to safeguard global food security while championing more sustainable ways of farming. Operating across more than 100 countries, Syngenta combines advanced plant science with cutting-edge digital agricultural solutions to develop the intelligent crop protection products that help farmers around the world maximize yields while minimizing their environmental footprint. From seed to harvest, Syngenta is the partner that farmers trust when nature presents its toughest challenges.
The Crop Protection Field Development team in the United States is the scientific engine behind Syngenta’s product pipeline — conducting the rigorous, real-world field research that translates laboratory discovery into commercially proven crop protection solutions. The Heartland Region’s Lincoln, Nebraska team plays a vital role in this national research network — generating the Nebraska-specific data that supports product label expansions, new formulation development, and biological solutions that serve the unique agricultural needs of the Great Plains farming community.
Your Research Career at Syngenta: Syngenta has been ranked as a top employer by Science Journal — not just for its scientific ambition, but for the culture it has built to support the people who drive that science forward. With a full benefits package from day one, flexible remote work across Nebraska, a genuine commitment to work-life balance, and the resources of the world’s leading crop protection organization behind you, this R&D Scientist 1 role in Lincoln, NE offers an agricultural science career that is truly worth applying for.
Who Should Apply?
- Weed Science MS/PhD Graduates: With 3–5 years applied field research experience in herbicide efficacy, weed management systems, or crop-weed interaction studies in Nebraska or the Heartland Region
- Entomology Researchers: With MS or PhD in Entomology and hands-on biological field trial experience evaluating insecticide efficacy, pest management solutions, or biological controls in row crop agriculture
- Plant Pathology / Nematology Scientists: With applied plant disease or nematode management field research experience and knowledge of fungicide / nematicide evaluation protocols and crop response studies
- Agricultural Biologicals Specialists: With experience evaluating biostimulants, biocontrol agents, or biological seed treatment products in field trial settings — a growing priority area for Syngenta’s R&D pipeline
- Nebraska-Based Agricultural Scientists: Currently located in or near Lincoln, Nebraska — or willing to relocate — with valid driver’s license, farming equipment operation skills, and comfort with remote field-based work across the state
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