Breeding Programme Manager
Working Hours: Full-time, flexible
Salary: Competitive, composed of a mix of base salary and EMI options.
Location: Roslin, Edinburgh
About us
Beta Bugs is an insect genetics company based in Roslin Edinburgh. Since day one, genetics has been our sole focus. We have built our company’s strategy, technology, and team around developing and distributing Black Soldier Fly breeds.
We leave large-scale production to Black Soldier Fly protein producers, our customers, who improve their bottom lines through our product. In doing so, we avoid unnecessary competition, and instead jointly focus our energies on scaling our industry.
Purpose of the Job
The role of the Breeding Programme Manager is to build, improve and maintain quantitative genetic value and capability within Beta Bugs. The Breeding Programme Manager will have responsibility for maintaining the trajectory of the breeding programme, this will include developing and implementing breeding strategies, trait measurements, and breeding value along with selection methods.
To do this the Breeding Programme Manager will work with a dedicated team that will improve lines of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia Illucens) whilst meeting key commercial KPIs and breeding objectives. This involves developing and implementing the tools, systems, and processes needed within various aspects of the organisation including livestock husbandry, technology, and data science to ensure genetic improvements across desired industry-relevant traits are achieved, measured, recorded and reported.
Key Results area
• Day-to-day management of Beta Bugs black soldier fly breeding programme, environment, husbandry processes and team.
• Achieve the breeding objective by way of creation, implementation, and continuous improvement of a breeding strategy.
• Develop and utilise performance-tracking tools, systems, and methodologies for use within the breeding programme.
• Perform selections based on the needs of the breeding objective, cascading relevant information to the team.
• Report data in meetings throughout the company, to audiences with various technical knowledge, and write clear and concise reports for internal as well as external review.
• Capture and analyse data, building reports both daily and generationally showcasing performance across all life stages including plotting phenotypic, environmental and genetic trends.
• Evaluate quantitative KPIs at all life stages, building statistical reports outlining correlations and heritability.
• Monitor and improve Beta Bugs dedicated database.
• Stock management.
• Any other related tasks.
What We’re Looking For
You’re passionate about genetic management and improvement of populations and want to deliver impact, both to Beta Bugs and the wider insect farming industry, through your work.
You have a Master or PhD degree in Animal Genetics or a related field, with proven understanding of quantitative genetics and data analysis, preferably through relevant experience within a commercial environment. You have programming skills in Python or R for data processing, handling data analysis and visualization.
You are independent, organised and you thrive in collaboration with multidisciplinary teams working in a rapidly emerging sector. You have strong communication skills, and are able to work with people at all levels of the company.
What We Offer
We offer 30 days annual leave (inclusive of bank holiday), flexible working hours, company pension scheme (8% employer contribution) and group life assurance scheme.
To learn more about working at Beta Bugs, please visit https://www.betabugs.uk/careers/
Timelines
We are reviewing applications for this role on a rolling basis and looking to appoint the successful candidate to this role by October 2023 latest.
Interested?
If you feel you’re a fit for the role, we look forward to receiving your covering letter, together with a CV via this portal or via email at recruitment@betabugs.uk.
No recruiters please.
Responses