About the Opportunity

The Genotyping Panels Specialist will play a critical role in enabling high-throughput, production-scale genotyping to support predictive and molecular breeding at Driscoll’s. This role is responsible for end-to-end coordination of genotyping panel workflows, including proposing and implementing workflow improvements and new quality control measures, while also providing day-to-day coordination, knowledge transfer and operational oversight. The Panels Specialist will be a critical member of the production genotyping team: both as a technical and operational owner of multiple genotyping platforms and as a coordinator of vendors and diverse stakeholders to ensure quality data outcomes. They will also be responsible for mentoring and supporting junior coordinators and/or seasonal staff via knowledge sharing and providing day-to-day guidance.

 

Responsibilities

Lead Genotyping Panel Operations - Own planning and execution of mid- and high-density genotyping panel workflows, from sample intake through data delivery.

• Coordinate high-throughput sample volumes across breeding programs to meet strategic timelines.

• Own panel schedules, priorities, and operational risk management.

Vendor & External Laboratory Management - Act as the primary liaison with external genotyping laboratories for panel-based projects.

• Manage forecasts, sample submissions, and ongoing communication to ensure alignment on scope, timelines, and quality.

• Track vendor performance metrics (TAT, data quality, and repeatability) and escalate issues as needed.

Data Quality, QC & Curation Oversight - Oversee quality control of panel data, including autoscoring, repeatability, and standard control performance.

• Partner with data scientists to ensure accurate annotation, ingestion, and curation of genotyping data into enterprise systems.

• Lead root-cause analysis for data quality issues and drive corrective and preventive actions.

• Consistently and proactively seek out process improvements.

People Leadership & Coordination - Provide day-to-day guidance, mentorship, and workload coordination for support specialists, technicians, or seasonal staff.

• Support training, and knowledge transfer for genotyping panel workflows and SOPs.

• Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and cross-functional collaboration.

Cross-Functional Collaboration - Serve as a key integration point between Breeding, Farming, Data Science, and external partners.

• Communicate status, risks, and deliverables clearly to internal stakeholders to support planning and decision-making.

Workflow Optimization & Documentation - Lead development, maintenance, and continuous improvement of SOPs for panel genotyping workflows.

• Support implementation of new panel technologies or workflow enhancements.

Reporting, Metrics & Operational Planning - Develop and maintain dashboards or reports to track panel throughput, turnaround time, QC outcomes, and volume.

   

Candidate Profile