About the role

Belize Sugar Industries is hiring a Clean Seed Coordinator - Plant Tissue Culture at Tower Hill, Orange Walk. The role carries out laboratory operations for the in-vitro propagation of sugarcane using tissue culture techniques, working with tissue culture procedures, standard operating protocols, plant production and quality control to produce disease-free, true-to-type, high-quality plantlets in line with established protocols, biosafety standards and production targets.

Responsibilities

Conduct tissue culture procedures, including explant preparation, initiation, multiplications, rooting and acclimatization of sugarcane plantlets.
Prepare and sterilize culture media, solutions, glassware and instruments according to standard protocols.
Identify and manage contamination (fungal, bacterial or physiological disorders).
Assist in the selection of donor plants, initiation of the culture and maintenance of the mother plant stock (propagation lines).
Record and compile laboratory data, production statistics and experiment results.
Maintain laboratory logs, inventory records of laboratory chemicals and consumables, and SOP documentation.
Assist with weaning, acclimatization and hardening of plantlets in greenhouse or nursery conditions.
Follow laboratory biosafety, chemical handling and waste disposal procedures.
Assist in improving tissue culture protocols to enhance multiplication rates, survival and cost efficiency.
Perform duties including but not limited to tissue culture initiation, media preparation, plant stock transfer and maintenance, organizing, data collection and analysis, greenhouse and field work.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution in Plant Biotechnology, Plant Science, Biology, Agriculture or a related field.
Minimum 2-5 years' experience in a laboratory environment.
Previous experience with plant tissue culture (sugarcane preferred): culture media preparation, tissue isolation and disinfection procedures.
Practical experience in aseptic techniques and in-vitro plant propagation.
Knowledge of molecular biology and diagnostics techniques.
High attention to accuracy, detail and data integrity, and ability to work under sterile conditions.
Good record-keeping and basic data analysis and statistical interpretation skills.
Ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
Proficiency in MS Excel, Word and laboratory databases.
Effective written and verbal communication and report-writing skills.
Physically able to perform repetitive laboratory tasks and to work standing for extended periods in a laboratory and greenhouse environment.
Willingness to work weekends or extended hours during peak production periods or crop season.

Preferred qualifications

Familiarity with high throughput plant propagation by tissue culture.