Title: Principal Scientist, BioAg
Location: Gurugram
About Us
Absolute is a bioscience company founded with the idea of a shared future where both people & planet win together. The company's vision is to build a thriving future for people and the planet by harnessing the power of nature, science & exponential innovation. Today, Absolute's Bio division has evolved into a generation-defining bioscience company across Agriculture, Human Health & Sustainable Materials.
Operating across 30+ countries, Absolute's Agtech businesses encompass – Climate Solutions, Soil Health testing, Crop Insurance & Tech driven commodities trade. Absolute's revolutionary businesses are backed by Xenesis, the R&D arm of Absolute, a stellar team of 150+ scientists making breakthroughs in their fields.
Absolute is backed by Sequoia, Tiger Global, and Alpha Wave, Absolute's angels include Nadir Godrej- MD of Godrej Industries, Kamal Aggarwal- Promoter of Haldiram, and Kunal Shah- founder of CRED, among others.
About INERA:
INERA stands at the forefront of innovation in the agricultural inputs biological domain. We are a driving force for change in the agriculture industry. At INERA, we take pride in developing agricultural biologicals that redefine the standards. What truly sets INERA apart is our unwavering commitment to regenerative agriculture. Our bio-abled farm inputs help maintain the delicate natural cycles that underpin biological activity in the soil. This isn't just important; it's imperative for the future of farming. Join us in the journey towards a greener, more sustainable agriculture, where innovation meets nature's wisdom. Choose INERA for a brighter and more promising farming future.
The Role
We are seeking a visionary scientific leader to head our Bio Agri-inputs team. This is a high-impact
leadership role within the Inera leadership team, responsible for driving the strategy, execution, and commercialization of our next-generation biological agri-inputs portfolio. You will own the end-to-end product pipeline for development and commercialization of products focused on improving soil health, plant nutrition and crop protection.
The role will include the following :
1. Leadership and Strategic Planning
- Develop and implement a strategic vision for our BioAg group aligned with the business strategy and customer requirements.
- Drive the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel products for global markets.
- Own Technical Excellence teams for end-to-end delivery of product pipelines from early development to commercialization.
2. Research and Development Management
- Oversee the design, execution, and analysis of experiments and studies related to BioAgri segment, ensuring high scientific rigor and compliance with regulatory guidelines.
- Manage research projects, timelines, and budgets, ensuring efficient resource allocation and timely completion of milestones.
- Develop novel formulations for crop improvement and crop protection.
- Design and development of BioAg. Inputs (Biofertilizers, PGPR, Biocontrol. Biostimulants etc.).
- Patent filing and writing review on research articles.
- Identify novel active ingredients like peptides, metabolites, botanical and plant extracts hormones etc and their applications in agriculture.
- Develop production methods for active ingredients and their formulations.
- Soil microbiome engineering.
3. Cross-functional Collaboration
- Collaborate closely with other departments to ensure seamless integration and successful product development and commercialization.
- Provide scientific expertise and guidance in product development strategies, identifying opportunities for innovation and differentiation in the market.
- Foster effective communication and collaboration with external stakeholders, such as academic institutions, research organizations, and regulatory bodies, to leverage partnerships and collaborations for accelerated product development.
4. Regulatory Compliance and Intellectual Property
- Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and guidelines.
- Develop and implement processes to protect intellectual property, including the preparation and submission of patent applications, to safeguard the company's innovations.
5. Global Representation and Technical Collaborations
- Speak at relevant conferences, seminars, and technical forums, representing the company's scientific expertise and achievements.
- Establish and maintain strategic collaborations with leading scientific organizations, research institutions, and industry partners to drive technical advancements and stay at the forefront of innovation
- Act as a global ambassador for the company, building and nurturing relationships with key opinion leaders, industry experts, and regulatory authorities
5. Team Development and Talent Management
- Recruit, train, and mentor a high-performing team of scientists and researchers, with a focus on BioAgri, fostering their professional growth and development.
- Conduct performance evaluations, provide constructive feedback, and implement strategies for talent retention and succession planning.
- Promote a culture of scientific excellence, innovation, and continuous learning in Inera.
Who are we looking for
- A technical leader with a desire to work in the impact space, with a passion to make the world a better place.
- Demonstrated ability to work with highly skilled teams in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial and technical environment.
- Ph.D. in Plant biology, crop science, agriculture biotechnology, Agri-input science or related fields.
- 12+ years of postdoctoral experience in Agri-biotech companies, or biotechnology industries for Agri-input formulations.
- Experience in developing novel bio-based formulations for crop improvement and crop protection.
- Experience in working with multiple active ingredients for agri-input bio-formulations.
- A strong grasp of fundamental plant molecular biology techniques is essential.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, capable of conveying technical information in a clear and thorough manner.
