Director, Global Nursery Research

Driscoll’s • Watsonville, CA

21d

About The Position

The Research Nursery Director leads the strategic development and execution of Driscoll’s global research nursery operations, ensuring worldclass enablement of breeding and research programs across multiple geographies. This role oversees a diverse network of internal facilities and external partners, responsible for delivering high quality plant material on time, on spec, on cost and on purpose. The director drives continuous improvement by expanding successful nursery operating procedures through the Global Research Nursery Network, developing a technology roadmap that enhances efficiency and data collection, and ensuring rigorous clean stock and foundation standards. A deep understanding of production systems, plant types, and global research needs is essential, enabling the transformation of strategy into operational excellence while protecting Driscoll’s proprietary materials and information. This leader brings extensive horticultural expertise—12+ years in greenhouse, nursery, or tissue culture operations, including multisite leadership—and exceptional people development skills. They guide cross-functional teams, manage complex budgets, and collaborate closely with global technology transfer and R&D teams. The role requires an entrepreneurial mindset, comfort with ambiguity, and strong communication and mentoring capabilities. As an active member of the Global R&D Management Team, the R&D Director of Nursery fosters innovation, develops talent across the enterprise, and helps position Driscoll’s for long-term growth in an increasingly sophisticated global nursery landscape.

Requirements

• 12+ years of work experience in the horticultural industry, with a demonstrated background in leading greenhouse, nursery, tissue culture labs or other related operations, and at least 3 years leading a multi-site operation.
• The candidate must have robust experience leading people and developing leaders.
• Demonstrated leadership skills and a track record of successfully directing, managing and motivating employees, as well as project teams.
• Demonstrated record managing budgets and annual operational plans, as well as overseeing capital investments.
• Ability to lead complex and cross-functional projects, negotiate with different stakeholders and establish compromises and commitments.
• Ability to mentor, teach and communicate with excellence and clarity.
• Ability to operate effectively in complex and evolving environments.
• Courageous, creative and conceptual thinker with practical planning skills.
• Entrepreneurial mindset, not risk-averse, notably humble and passionate about the horticultural industry.
• Ability to work with others at a high and collaborative level.
• Ability to turn plans into reality.
• Ability to travel internationally as required.

Responsibilities

• Develops and implements Research Nursery strategies for all Global R&D breeding and research programs and is responsible for the execution of those strategies across a network of organizations and facilities, including some directly managed, as well as through internal and external partners and service providers. These strategies include the management of global breeding and research plant orders, the fulfillment of those orders on time, on quality and in quantity.
• Expands successful programs existing in one research nursery organization to another, continuously improving the outcome and the efficiencies of the organization, and preparing it for Driscoll’s projected growth.
• Oversees Driscoll’s R&D optimized global plant movement adhering to regulatory directives and maximizing genetic fit across a number of countries, sites, crops and plant types.
• Manages Cleanstock and Foundation execution for R&D and ensures the hand-off to commercial nursery partners is robust, efficient and adheres to the highest clean stock principles.
• Develops and drives a technology roadmap for the R&D Nursery Network that is driven by efficiencies and relevant data collection.
• Provides leadership and development for regional nursery leaders, site managers, and technical teams while building organizational capabilities, both through formal as well as through informal relationships and organizational structures across the Enterprise.
• Partners with the Global Technology Transfer Team to support deployment of technologies and information to growers globally.
• Maintains a deep understanding of Driscoll’s breeding and research programs, production systems and production environments, identifying the plant type and plant production solutions that augment the genetic value of Driscoll’s cultivars.
• Develops strategies to provide foundational knowledge to regional nurseries.
• Actively participates in Global R&D Management Team.
• Ensures the security of Driscoll’s confidential and proprietary information and materials.
• Oversees operational budgets for research nursery activities and participates in capital planning for nursery infrastructure and systems.

Benefits

• Driscoll’s is committed to a culture of care and offers an attractive benefits package that includes comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, life insurance, and disability coverage for positions working more than 30 hours per week.
• Other benefits include: 401(k) with employer match, profit-sharing participation, paid sick time, paid vacation, paid personal and family care leave, and a free Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: No Education Listed
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees