Quantitative Geneticist, Predictive Breeding

Job Description

Job Description

Position Title : Quantitative Geneticist, Predictive Breeding

Location : San Francisco, CA

Time Type : Full Time

The Opportunity

At Ohalo, we are building the future of agriculture with our breakthrough Boosted breeding technology. We are seeking a visionary and hands-on Quantitative Geneticist to be a principal architect of the computational engine that drives our entire crop improvement strategy.

This isn't a typical modeling role. You will be at the nexus of genetics, data science, and engineering, designing the predictive systems that guide our breeding decisions. You will build and deploy everything from genomic selection models to sophisticated simulations that chart the course of our breeding portfolio. If you are driven to solve complex problems and want to see your code and models directly translate into real-world genetic gain, this is a unique opportunity to make a foundational impact.

Responsibilities

As a key member of our technical team, your responsibilities will be organized around three core pillars :

1. Core Predictive Science

• Genomic Prediction & GWAS : Design, build, and validate the primary statistical models (e.g., GBLUP, ssGBLUP, GWAS) that form the foundation of our predictive capabilities, translating genotype and phenotype data into actionable insights.
• Breeding Simulation : Evolve our in-house breeding simulation platform to run complex, large-scale scenarios. Your models will answer critical strategic questions about resource allocation, risk management, and the optimal path to achieve our breeding objectives.

2. Strategic Decision Modeling

3. Innovation & Collaboration

Candidate Profile

Expert-level proficiency in Python and its scientific computing stack (e.g., NumPy, SciPy, Pandas, Scikit-learn). Demonstrable experience building modular, testable, and maintainable code is essential.

Deep theoretical and practical understanding of mixed models for genetic evaluation (e.g., GBLUP, ssGBLUP).

Proficiency in R, particularly for reading and translating legacy statistical models (e.g., brms, sommer, ASReml).

About Ohalo :

Ohalo™ aims to accelerate evolution to unlock nature's potential. Founded in 2019, Ohalo develops novel breeding systems and improved plant varieties that help farmers grow more food with fewer natural resources, increasing the yield, resiliency, and genetic diversity of crops to sustainably feed our population. Ohalo's breakthrough technology, Boosted Breeding™, will usher in a new era of improved productivity to radically transform global agriculture. For more information, visit www.ohalo.com.

The anticipated pay range for this role is $125,000 - $150,000 per year for our San Francisco, CA location, though salary will be based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, experience, skills, education, and location.

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