Research Assistant Artificial Intelligence

Oudecampsweg 35C, 2678 NN De Lier, Netherlands

Flowers and plants have a strong emotional value for the people who buy them. Their potential to inspire is endless – They can make our day, brighten up the house, or turn the garden into a paradise.

Dümmen Orange is a leading breeder and propagator of flowers and plants. Our goal is to inspire people and create a better, more beautiful world. We offer an impressive portfolio of crops and varieties to growers, wholesalers and retailers around the world. 

We are looking for a Research Assistant Artificial Intelligence for our R&D department in De Lier.

Why is this your job?

As a Research Assistant you will strengthen the Artificial Intelligence team which is part of the R&D department. We continuously develop image-based tools and pipelines to measure quantitative phenotypic traits from images of plants and plant organs, which contribute to predictive breeding objectives. You will assist in these projects, primarily in the deployment and improvement of these tools for the automated processing of plant images generated by R&D and breeding. In most projects, you will work with deep learning methods for image classification, object detection, or segmentation.

Collaboration is key for this job position. You will work closely with breeders and scientists from different backgrounds (including bioinformatics, biology, phytopathology, and genetics). It is important to be a creative problem-solver with 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 Artificial Intelligence.

Your tasks and responsibilities:

• Along with the Artificial Intelligence team, contribute to the development and deployment of apps and tools for plant digital phenotyping.

• Combine and execute workflows for training deep learning models with in-house data, associated with various imaging systems and breeding goals.

• Validate digital phenotyping results in collaboration with geneticists and breeders.

• Support the collection, annotation, organization, and export of data. 

• Update and improve existing models, workflows, and apps for phenotyping as needed.

• Assist in evaluating and integrating novel sensors and image analysis techniques.

• Maintain quality standards through image calibration, accuracy benchmarks, and statistical analysis.

• Keep thorough documentation and present results to collaborators and stakeholders.

Who are you?

• A MSc in a relevant field (e.g. biological sciences, biostatistics, or agricultural engineering) with 0 - 2 years of work experience.

• Affinity to plant biology, plant breeding, horticulture, or related disciplines. 

• Highly motivated and persistent at solving biological and technical problems. 

• Strong programming skills (Python preferred) and experience with Linux command line.

• Hands-on experience with data science and computer vision frameworks, such as OpenCV, NumPy, and Pandas.

• Familiar with machine learning and deep learning concepts and workflows.

• Willing to learn technologies required for CI/CD-based software development (Git, Docker, and Kubernetes).

• Good communication skills, and can work alongside diverse teams from other domains.

• Excellent command of English.

What do you get in return?

Dümmen Orange has major international ambitions with innovation technology and quality high on the agenda. There is plenty of room for autonomy, personal growth and you are part of an expert team. This allows you to optimally develop as a driven professional in your field. There is a supportive and open working environment where sharing knowledge, collaboration and achieving common goals are very important.

We also offer:

• An attractive salary depending on your knowledge and experience;

• Full-time employment (based on 38 hours);

• 25,5 vacation days on a full-time basis;

• One day per week remote working (including allowance for home workplace);

• Working hours are partially flexible and can be determined in consultation;

• A personal development plan based on continuous learning and our core values of commitment, focus, passion and responsibility.

• An international working environment;

• Collective Labour Agreement for the Greenhouse Horticulture Sector with, among other things, good leave arrangements and a good pension scheme (BPL Pension). We invest in your future by paying 2/3 of the pension premium;

Who are we?

We are a leading international breeder and propagator of flowers and plants. Our breeders enhance characteristics such as colour, fragrance, and shape, as well as less visible traits like disease resistance, higher yield per square meter, and extended vase life. In production locations across Africa, South and Central America we have 330+ hectares of production space at our disposal. Here we set up our mother stock plants and propagate the starting material. Our extensive range of crops and varieties finds its way to growers, wholesalers, and retailers around the world.

With a leading R&D team, a diverse network of our own propagation sites, and over a century of experience in floriculture, we are the trusted source for industry expertise and innovation in floriculture breeding.

The products our industry produces have a strong emotional value for the consumers who buy them. Our purpose is to inspire people and create a better, more beautiful world. Our team of 6,600 dedicated, focused, and passionate professionals works across the globe. Our head office is located in De Lier, the Netherlands.

Your application 

Do you dare to bloom and are you ready to take your career to the next level? Click on the button below to apply for this job. If you have questions about the job, you can contact Mon-Ray Shao (Project Lead Artificial Intelligence) via email at: m.shao@dummenorange.com or phone +31623192379.

Acquisition with reference to this advertisement will not be appreciated.