Breeder: Sub-Tropical Hybrid Eucalyptus

Your Mission:

Maintain & improve elite potted orchard (EPO) for maximum flower development, controlled pollination, & seed maturation

• Select and introduce parent trees to EPO
• Manage tree health and flower monitoring in EPO
• Manage controlled pollination team and efforts

Develop & test new sub-tropical hybrid eucalypt genotypes

• Develop mating design for controlled pollination
• Design hybrid seedling selection trials
• Design initial clonal trials
• Analyse data from controlled pollination, seedling trials, and clonal trials to assess heritability, clone performance, hybrid compatibility, and growth and wood properties across diverse subtropical sites
• Nominate and evaluate selections for advanced phenotypic analysis and final competition trials

Test & recommend candidate commercial clones for deployment in sub-tropical zones

• Select genotypes from initial clonal trials and design final competition trials
• Monitor final competition trials and nominate selections for advanced phenotypic analysis
• Analyse growth, survival and wood quality data and nominate candidate commercial clones
• Verify the genetic identity of selections and candidate commercial clones in collaborations with the biotechnology team

Liaise with tree improvement field operations, data engineering, biotechnology, forest health, wood science, & forest operations teams to align breeding goals with operational needs

• Communicate with tree improvement field operations regarding the annual plan of operations for seed germination, clonal propagation, trial establishment, and trial monitoring and assessment for sub-tropical hybrid eucalypts
• Participate in annual clone deployment workshops with R&D, Forests Technical, and Forests Operations for discussions on candidate commercial clone selections
• Contribute to long-term breeding program planning, including advanced-generation hybrid development

Your profile:

• MSc or PhD in Forestry, Plant Breeding, Genetics, or related field
• 3 to 5+ years of hands-on experience in tree breeding, preferably with Eucalyptus or other fast-growing hardwoods
• Proficiency in statistical genetics, trial design, and data analysis (e.g., ASReml, R)
• Familiarity with data capture tools (e.g., Excel, GIS, mobile apps) and basic statistical analysis
• Maintain detailed records of breeding lines, trial outcomes, & genetic evaluations
• Familiarity with clonal propagation, nursery management, and silvicultural practices
• Strong observational skills and attention to detail
• Valid South African drivers license

We Offer:

• Location: Kwa Mbonambi  Nursery
• Duration: Permanent
• Grade: D-Lower

Get in touch:

We strive to create a culture that inspires our people to reach their full potential. Going the extra mile – for colleagues and customers – our people drive our passion for performance and are the key ingredient of Mondi’s success. Be part of our future. 

Do you want to know more about Mondi? We are a global leader in packaging and paper, contributing to a better world through innovative solutions that are sustainable by design. Our global team of 24,000 people works across 100 production sites in more than 30 countries.

Our strength lies in our diversity. We are dedicated to creating a team that reflects the diversity of the world we operate in. We believe in your potential and are committed to supporting you as you grow and learn at Mondi. If you need any accommodations during the recruitment process, please reach out to the contact person listed above.

Only CVs uploaded onto our online career platform will be taken into consideration. With your application, you will be redirected to our recruiting platform. After creating an account, you will receive an activation link. If you do not find the email in your inbox, please check your spam folder or add the address no-reply@mondigroup.com to your “safe list” or address book.

Appointments will be made in line with our Employment Equity Plan. The above advert has minimum requirements listed; however, Management reserves the right to use additional/relevant information as criteria for shortlisting.

Awards: