phytopathology intern

Oudecampsweg C, 8 NN De Lier, Netherlands

Flowers and plants have a strong emotional value for the people who buy them. Their potential to inspire is endless – They can make our day, brighten up the house, or turn the garden into a paradise.

Dümmen Orange is a leading breeder and propagator of flowers and plants. Our goal is to inspire people and create a better, more beautiful world. We offer an impressive portfolio of crops and varieties to growers, wholesalers and retailers around the world. 

We are looking for an Intern for our Research & Development department in De Lier, The Netherlands for a period of 6 months.

Internship content

You will be part of our Phytopathology team (7colleagues) and working on the development of detached leaf assay protocol for Powdery Mildew in one of our crops. Current routine bio-assays are labour intensive, take a lot of resources and space in greenhouse making them very expensive. A detached leaf assay is hence required which will be cost-effective, efficient, will provide flexibility and require less labour. This project would involve studying chemical senescence retardant on detached leaves, inoculation methods, isolate comparisons, and correlation analyses between detach leaf assays and whole plant assays. Collaboration with the Artificial Intelligence team to acquire and analyze images, will be important. You will work in a dynamic team of researchers, and gain experience in plant pathology, as well as setting up and executing experiments in laboratory and greenhouse environment. 

Your tasks and responsibilities:

Literature review of detach leaf assay methods for powdery mildew; Write a research proposal based on extensive literature search; Develop methods to inoculate powdery mildew in detach leaf assays; Design and execute experiments for pathogenicity tests in detach leaf assays and full grown plants; Perform image analysis; Analyse and visualize data effectively; Write a detailed report summarizing your experiments and results.

Who are you?

You are currently pursuing a MSc in plant sciences or any relevant field; Your experience with laboratory techniques is essential, experience in working with pathogens and interest in image analysis is preferred; You have a analytical and critical mindset with strong problem solving and pro-active attitude; You are able to work independently and organized; You have excellent communication skills and good command of the English language, spoken and written.

What do you get in return?

Dümmen Orange has major international ambitions with innovation technology and quality high on the agenda. There is plenty of room for autonomy, personal growth and you are part of an expert team. This allows you to optimally develop as a driven professional in your field. There is a supportive and open working environment where sharing knowledge, collaboration and achieving common goals are very important.

Who are we?

We are a leading international breeder and propagator of flowers and plants. Our breeders enhance characteristics such as colour, fragrance, and shape, as well as less visible traits like disease resistance, higher yield per square meter, and extended vase life. In production locations across Africa, South and Central America and Asia we have + hectares of production space at our disposal. Here we set up our mother stock plants and propagate the starting material. Our extensive range of crops and varieties finds its way to growers, wholesalers, and retailers around the world.

With a leading R&D team, a diverse network of our own propagation sites, and over a century of experience in floriculture, we are the trusted source for industry expertise and innovation in floriculture breeding.

The products our industry produces have a strong emotional value for the consumers who buy them. Our purpose is to inspire people and create a better, more beautiful world. Our team of 6, dedicated, focused, and passionate professionals works across the globe. Our head office is located in De Lier, The Netherlands.

Your application 

Acquisition with reference to this advertisement will not be appreciated.

Marielle Canter Visscher

HR Business Partner
Netherlands

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