About Us: D42 is dedicated to developing sustainable fruit varieties optimized for yield, flavor, and appearance. Located in the sun-kissed country of Tanzania, our research program focuses on advancing fruit genetics to meet grower challenges and consumer expectations. Situated in the region of Ikwirir, our laboratory is built on a farm in an isolated area to minimize contamination, equipped with modern facilities to produce world-class banana seeds.

About the Opportunity:We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Tissue Culture Laboratory Manager to join our team in Tanzania. The Tissue Culture Laboratory Manager will play a crucial role in supervising tissue culture operations, managing greenhouse acclimatization processes, and conducting experiments to support our banana variety development program. The tissue culture manager would be responsible for overseeing the running of the tissue lab this would involve the streamlined production of 14,000,000 seedings that would support the planting of the banana farm in Ikwiriri. The tissue culture lab based on the farm would greatly reduce are cost of purchasing of seedlings from an outsourced vender. With the tissue culture lab, we would better control the quality of seed and better bunching for harvesting dates and reduce secondary harvest time scale.

This high skilled individual would have a background in Botany and management, as part of the candidate’s responsibilities will be the process of seedlings.

Responsibilities:

• Manage tissue culture operations to support banana seed programs, ensuring efficient production and duplication of plant material.
• Management of the tissue culture lab and green houses.
• Oversee the greenhouse acclimatization of tissue culture-derived seedlings, maintaining optimal growing conditions for healthy plant development.
• Supervise laboratory and greenhouse personnel, providing leadership, guidance, and support to ensure adherence to protocols and safety procedures.
• Train and manage tissue culture personnel in aseptic culture techniques and safety protocols to maintain high standards of cleanliness and contamination control.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement, waste reduction, and cost optimization to enhance operational efficiency.
• Maintain health and safety standards at a high level throughout the department, ensuring compliance with regulations and best practices.
• Management of a staff of over 200.
• Sourcing and supply of materials to support lab.
• And design support for the lab and green houses.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in plant science, horticulture, or a similar plant discipline.
• 2-3 years of experience in tissue culture laboratory operations.
• Experience working in a greenhouse environment is desired.
• Strong understanding of fundamental chemistry and aseptic culture techniques.
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment and willingness to take on additional responsibilities as needed.
• Highly self-motivated, flexible, and adaptable, with a passion for technology and innovation.
• Excellent English communication skills, both oral and written.
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and multi-task effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Willingness to work on-site in Ikwirir, Tanzania, 100% of the time.

Benefits:

• Competitive salary
• Comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance and retirement plans
• Opportunities for professional development and career advancement
• Exciting work environment with cutting-edge technology and innovative research projects