R&D Leader

Salary/rate:$150-200,000

Type of work desired:Perm

Desired work region:North America

Relocation possible:N/A

Reason for leaving:Restructure

References on file:Yes

Job Role:Technical

Sector:Biotechnology

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Meet Our Recruiter

Philip Bills

Founder

Phil@agriexecs.com

About Profile

🔍 Experienced R&D and Strategy Leader Available for New Opportunities
Agri-Tech | Product Innovation | Scientific Strategy | Digital Enablement

An accomplished leader in the agri-science sector with over a decade of experience driving innovation across product development, research operations, and strategic transformation. Brings a rare blend of technical depth and business acumen, with a proven track record of managing global teams, budgets, and breakthrough projects in both biologicals and digital agriculture.

Core Competencies

Digital Strategy | Product Development | Automation
Project & Asset Leadership | Scientific Operations | Cross-Functional Collaboration

Recent Experience

🌱 Independent Consultant – Midwest USA
2025 – Present
Advising agri-tech startups on bridging lab-to-field transitions, refining bioassays, and accelerating early-stage technologies toward greenhouse and field validation.

🌾 Global Agri-Tech Company (Top 5) – Various Roles (2012–2024)

Regional Lead, North America Field Testing – Breeding Division
2023 – 2024
Directed operations across the US and Canada, overseeing 400k+ research plots, a multi-million dollar budget, and a team of 50+. Delivered high-impact phenotypic data for row crop advancement.

Head of Business Enablement – Global R&D (Vegetables)
2020 – 2023
Partnered with senior leadership to operationalise R&D transformation strategy across multiple regions. Co-led a global data integration initiative connecting commercial and R&D insights. Served as interim leader of a 50+ person team across four countries managing complex lab and field workflows.

Principal Scientist – US Field Solutions
2015 – 2020
Led field trials for novel biological inputs, authored business cases, contributed to regulatory strategy, and introduced UAV programmes for field data analytics. Supported the commercialisation of next-gen soil-applied products.

Earlier Career – R&D and Biologicals Leadership
Held senior scientific roles in entomology and biological product development, leading screening, formulation, and lab-to-field workflows. Spearheaded external partnerships and helped relocate major research teams.

Additional Research Contributions

Led government-funded research projects on pest behaviour, pollinator health, and insect ecology. Co-author on two patents and over a dozen peer-reviewed publications.

Education

Ph.D. – Entomology & Forestry (GIS Focus)
Master’s – Environmental & Natural Resource Management
BSc – Biological Sciences

📍 Based in the Midwest | Open to Remote or Hybrid Roles | Available Globally

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