Post doctoral fellow (m/f/d)

Company Description

About Syngenta

At Syngenta Crop Protection, we're pioneering solutions that safeguard global food security while championing sustainable agriculture. As a world market leader headquartered in Switzerland, we empower farmers with innovative crop protection technologies that defend against nature's toughest challenges. We unite advanced science with digital solutions to develop intelligent crop protection that maximizes yields while minimizing environmental impact. Join our mission of revolutionizing plant protection from seed to harvest.

Syngenta Crop Protection, the largest Syngenta Group unit, leads in sustainable farming solutions, offering innovative products to keep crops healthy while minimizing environmental impact, from planting to harvest.

Job Description

At Syngenta, our goal is to build the most collaborative and trustworthy team in agriculture, providing top-quality seeds and innovative crop protection solutions that improve farmers' success. To support this mission, Syngenta’s {Hiring Team} is seeking a Hybrid Post doctoral fellow in Basel St. Johann. 

Role purpose:

Conducting natural products research and synthesis in discovery within Chemistry research and the Natural Product and Biomolecular Chemistry Unit, specifically targeting secondary metabolites with biocontrol properties. This role involves investigating through total synthesis or and semi-synthetic approaches privileged metabolites with potential agricultural applications, contributing to expanding the modern crop protection solutions.

Natural products (NPs) are molecular “special equipment” that impart survival benefits on their producers in nature. Their evolved ability to modulate specific biological functions with distinct modes of actions makes these compounds privileged probes in Chemical Biology in Discovery of new synthetic crop protection agents as well as for use in innovative biocontrol solutions.

As a Postdoctoral Fellow in Research Chemistry at the interface with our Natural Product and Biomolecular Chemistry Unit (NPBC), you will join a multidisciplinary team to investigate NPs exhibiting new modes of action relevant to crop protection. You will contribute to identifying high interest starting points for agrochemical crop protection research. Your responsibilities will include designing, developing, and executing state-of-the-art synthetic routes to obtain samples of natural products and/or their structural analogs for early biological evaluation as well as for use a probes in chemical biology programs.

Accountabilities:

• Lead the synthesis, and optimization of natural products (NPs) with specific modes of action, including biosynthetic approaches and structural analog development.
• Provide scientific leadership, technical guidance, and continuous improvement initiatives in NP operations, ensuring best practices in experimental design, execution, and data analysis.
• Collaborate across Chemistry, Biologicals, and other relevant functions to ensure seamless end-to-end delivery of the CPR portfolio where NPs are involved.
• Analyze complex datasets, apply cross-functional knowledge, and leverage digital tools to generate insights and guide decision-making.
• Maintain an external networks with academic institutions, industrial partners, and technology providers to enhance NP capabilities and deliver on the Chemistry and Biologicals strategies.
• Contribute to intellectual property (IP) strategy by identifying protectable innovations and understanding relevant IP landscapes.
• Contribute to Discovery projects centered on NPs, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives and delivery against critical success factors.
• Foster a collaborative, multidisciplinary environment that accelerates compound development and enhances project outcomes

Qualifications

Required qualifications 

• A PhD in chemistry preferably with a strong experience on total synthesis of  natural products.
• Passionate about life science technologies, with a strong ability to understand methodologies beyond synthetic chemistry.
• Ability to critically interpret results and build new experimental hypotheses.
• Possesses a curious, scientifically creative, and self-starting mindset, embracing calculated risk-taking.
• Excellent analytical, communication and organizational skills.
• Ability to collaborate and take initiatives in multidisciplinary teams and with external collaborators.
• Good knowledge of English language (written and spoken).

Additional Information

We offer a variety of financial and non-financial benefits including:

• We offer a position which contributes to valuable and impactful work in a stimulating and international environment.
• The opportunity to make a difference to process safety, both within Syngenta’s global operations, and in shaping safety legislation and culture worldwide.
• A superb working environment with an open culture and diverse workforce where new ideas are always welcome.
• The opportunity to work with and learn from highly qualified and experienced employees and gain scientific and technical excellence.
• Learning culture (Together we Grow) and wide range of training options.

• You will profit from a competitive pension fund plan, flexible working, attractive bonus system, onsite doctor, fitness room, canteen, and other benefits such as Family friendly initiatives, Child and Family allowance.

Please send your complete application with CV, diploma and work certificates (if applicable) in English.

Syngenta is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or any other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

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