Research Assistant Genetics

Oudecampsweg 35C, 2678 NN De Lier, Netherlands

At Dümmen Orange, every role contributes to our mission of creating sustainable value in ornamental horticulture. As a Research Assistant Genetics, you play a key role in maintaining, documenting, and optimizing our in-house software tools and breeding pipelines. Your work directly supports the continuous improvement of our predictive breeding activities and longer-term genetic gain objectives and helps us deliver innovation, quality, and value to our customers and partners worldwide.

Why this role matters

As a Research Assistant you will strengthen the Trait Genetics team which is part of the R&D department. With your background in bioinformatics, you will contribute to the development and deployment of algorithms and pipelines that will enable predictive breeding.  You will also help in ensuring a reliable system is in place and in maximizing the efficiency of our technical workflows in R&D. 

Collaboration is key for this job position. You will work closely with breeders and scientists from different backgrounds (including bioinformatics, biology, phytopathology, genetics, and trait discovery). It is important to have a flexible mindset as you will perform tasks related to multiple domains in support of the Trait Genetics team. 

You will be based in our Breeding Technology Center in De Lier and report to the Project Lead Quantitative Genetics.

Your tasks and/or responsibilities include:

• Maintain and improve our in-house R&D software tools to enhance system stability and efficiency.

• Support troubleshooting for key analytical workflows and breeding tools.

• Document in-house tools and general technical frameworks in collaboration with senior research staff to expand our internal knowledge base.

• Build an internal knowledge base for infrastructure management to improve the team's internal troubleshooting capabilities.

Your profile

You are solution-oriented, highly organized, eager to learn, and a collaborative team player with a passion for efficient computational workflows.

Furthermore you have: 

• A BSc or Msc degree in Bioinformatics, Computational Biology, Plant Breeding or a related computational field

• 1–2 years of practical experience with bioinformatics pipeline development is a plus 

• Familiarity with programming (e.g., R or Python), Linux and command-line tools, with a willingness to learn server management with Kubernetes (K8s), plus an interest in plant breeding

• An inquisitive, innovative and critical mind-set and a creative and pro-active attitude

• You live within an acceptable travel distance of the work location in De Lier.

What we offer

Passion for the craft, teamwork and transparency define our ways-of-working. With a flat organizational structure and comprehensive support tools – such as the Dümmen Orange Academy and our Performance Management Program – we offer a rich environment for a purposeful and rewarding job, as well as for your development and growth as an individual, expert, or leader, no matter what stage of your career you’re in.

We value transparency and honesty, also when it comes to our remuneration. 

For this role, we offer:

• A monthly salary of between 3250 and 4650, with the exact figure depending on the relevance and level of your qualifications and your demonstrable relevant work experience

• A laptop

• A full-time position (38 hours per week)

• 25.5 days’ holiday based on a full-time contract (38 hours)

• A personal development plan focused on continuous learning and our core values: commitment, focus, passion and responsibility 

• Terms of employment in accordance with the Greenhouse Horticulture Collective Labour Agreement (CAO Glastuinbouw), with generous leave arrangements and a solid pension scheme (BPL Pension), for which we pay two-thirds of your pension contribution

• An active staff association organizing various activities throughout the year

• An international working environment.

Who we are and what we do

Dümmen Orange is a leading global breeder and propagator of flowers and plants, offering an extensive portfolio of crops and varieties to growers, wholesalers, and retailers worldwide.

We develop stronger, healthier flowers and plants, enhancing their beauty and performance. Our breeders, backed by cutting-edge research, focus on improving key traits such as color, fragrance, and shape, as well as vital characteristics like disease resistance, yield capacity, and growth habits.

Our Breeding Technology Centre in the Netherlands is the largest horticultural breeding laboratory in the world. It’s a high-tech home for pioneering international scientists, breeders, and specialists to set new standards in flower and plant genetics and breeding excellence.

Across our production locations in Europe, Africa, and the Americas, we have over 260 hectares of production space. We use these facilities to cultivate mother stock plants and produce starting material, e.g. by cuttings or tissue culture.

Dare to bloom

Headquartered in De Lier, the Netherlands, we employ 5,300 people globally. 

Joining Dümmen Orange means becoming part of a leading company driven by purpose and ambition. Our international playground is anything but ordinary. If you’re wired for curiosity, challenge, and real impact, you’ll feel right at home.

With a legacy spanning more than a century, leading positions in global floriculture markets, a world-class R&D team, and a diversified network of owned propagation sites supported by a global supply chain, Dümmen Orange is a source of industry expertise and innovation—and the place to be if you want to make a lasting impact in floriculture.

Click on the button below to apply for this job.

For more information you can contact Che-Wei Chang, Project Lead Quantitative Genetics on c.chang@dummenorange.com.  

Acquisition with reference to this advertisement will not be appreciated.