Plant Cell Biology & Engineering Scientist (m/f/d)

About the role

Join BASF's Plant Genome Engineering team at the R&D Innovation Center in Gent, Belgium. As a member of the Plant Genome Engineering Leadership Team, you will drive innovations in plant transformation, cell and tissue culture, regeneration and genome editing for core field crops such as soy, oilseeds and cotton.

Key responsibilities

• Scout, propose and implement fit‑for‑business innovations in plant transformation, cell and tissue culture, regeneration and genome editing.
• Design cell‑based assays and screening workflows to support crop trait discovery and development.
• Translate fundamental plant cell biology insights into practical solutions that improve efficiency, robustness and quality.
• Develop and execute research strategies, manage internal activities and external collaborations.
• Communicate progress on critical milestones to stakeholders in a timely manner.
• Coach technicians and specialists, fostering effective lab approaches and cost‑efficient workflows.
• Organize educational activities and lead workflow‑improvement initiatives.

Required profile

• Motivated, result‑oriented plant cell biologist with a passion for regeneration.
• Strong understanding of plant cell biology and its application to crop improvement.
• Ability to work independently and align research with business strategy.
• Leadership and coaching skills to guide laboratory teams.
• Excellent communication skills for stakeholder updates.

Required skills

• Plant transformation techniques
• Cell and tissue culture
• Plant regeneration
• Genome editing (e.g., CRISPR)
• Transgenesis
• Design of cell‑based assays
• Screening workflow development
• Hypothesis‑driven experimental design
• Data‑driven decision making

What we offer

• Opportunity to work in a global leader of agricultural science.
• Access to state‑of‑the‑art facilities and collaborative environment.
• Career development within BASF’s extensive R&D network.