Product Development Partner

Product Development Partner – R&D Oceania

Lincoln based 

DLF is a global seed cooperative headquartered in Denmark, with PGG Wrightson Seeds as a subsidiary in New Zealand and DLF Seeds in Australia. We service local and international markets, encompassing all facets of the seed market, from research and development through to seed supply and on-farm support.

We are seeking a proactive and collaborative Product Development Partner to join DLF Research & Development in Oceania. Reporting to the Product Development Manager, this role supports the connection between our R&D teams and the PGG Wrightson Seeds / DLF Seeds commercial business, helping to ensure our product development activities are well executed, data-driven, and aligned to commercial priorities.

Working closely with breeders, trialling teams and commercial colleagues, you will contribute to the delivery of high-quality product development data and support informed product advancement and commercialisation decisions. You will build strong working relationships across functions and play an important role in ensuring our product pipeline continues to meet market and customer needs.

Key responsibilities:

• Act as the regional interface between R&D and the commercial organization, ensuring two-way translation of market needs and technical realities.
• Monitor the regional product pipeline and support prioritization decisions in alignment with business strategy and resource constraints
• Coordinate the prioritization of product development trials across Oceania, working closely with the trials excellence team to ensure high-quality trial execution and robust data collection.
• Assist in the preparation, validation and organisation of product data packages to support product presentations and decision-making.
• Support adoption of consistent product development principles across the region.

What we are looking for:

• A relevant Agricultural Science degree, with experience or strong interest in forage and/or turf agronomy.
• Experience in agriculture, seed production, product development, R&D or technical roles (early to mid-career candidates encouraged to apply).
• A sound understanding of field trials, data quality, and the agricultural product lifecycle.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across teams and disciplines.
• Good organisational skills, with the ability to manage multiple tasks and contribute to projects in a matrixed environment.

Travel within New Zealand and Australia, and occasional international travel, is required to perform this role. The position is based at our Research Farm, Kimihia, Lincoln, New Zealand.

What we offer:

• Health Cover – full Southern Cross Health Insurance
• Life and Income Protection Insurance
• Ongoing learning and development opportunities
• The opportunity to work alongside experienced product development and R&D professionals in a collaborative and supportive environment.

DLF / PGG Wrightson Seeds is committed to creating long-lasting, successful careers for our people. If you have a strong affinity to farming, enjoy working with data and teams, and are keen to grow your career in a high-performing and values-driven culture, we would love to hear from you.

Applicants – hit Apply Now and you will be taken to our DLF career page. A position description is available from recruitment@pggwrightsonseeds.co.nz