Overview PepsiCo is a leading food enterprise sourcing a diverse range of plant raw materials, including potatoes, small grains, corn, and various fruit and vegetable crops. We are seeking an experienced variety and agronomic assessment scientist to lead our potato variety development efforts. This role is responsible for recommending optimal agronomic and agritech solutions to ensure high-performing, quality potatoes for supply chain continuity. By driving internal research and fostering external partnerships, the scientist will deliver actionable insights on the best varieties to support PepsiCo’s sustainable agriculture goals and address key business challenges such as productivity, raw material quality, food safety, and supply chain resilience. The position operates within the Ag Science Division of Research and Development, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams in genetics, breeding, systems biology, agronomy, and sustainability. The scientist will also work closely with breeders and business leaders across commercial, supply chain, procurement, processing, R&D quality, and consumer insights to align variety advancement with business priorities, support robust data-driven decisions, and provide growers with tailored agronomic guidance. Responsibilities • Developing, coordinating, and delivering the Middle East variety testing plans to develop and select varieties that meet the business defined product profiles Creating a phenotyping and yield trial program that supports commercial decisions, delivers data to the global breeder center, and facilitates go to market value propositions, delivering on sustainability and consumer targets. • Developing collaborative relationships with internal partners including the breeding team, trait discovery team, and variety specific agronomy crop technology team. Supporting the development of product profiles with input from the processing, quality, sensory, business, supply chain, and procurement teams. • Be center point for variety qualification approval committee in Middle East driving final alignment on varieties that advance to becoming part of the portfolio of options for growers to produce for PepsiCo. • Develop and maintain external breeding partnerships to identify, test and validate the progression of new varieties through commercial approval in Middle East. • Collaborate with R&D Ag Science sector trialing teams understand region specific variety performance to maintain current data on local varieties into the global Pepsico Variety Catalog. • Achieving successful outcomes and timelines, while consistently following guidelines, rules, standards, and compliance. Monitoring, tracking, and maintaining desired outcomes and objectives preparing for future challenges. • Engage staff in their personal development and fulfillment of goals, ensuring each has the skills needed for success in their roles and continued growth, while continuously evaluating their fit in their position, their desire and training to accomplish tasks safely, and the resources required to help them achieve their goals Qualifications • A PhD (with >5 years experience or MSc +10y experience in an ag seed or chemical company) with plot trial experience preferably in potato, crop trait valuation, strategic needs assessment, trait/variety portfolio management, commercial agronomy and/or technology development of new variety solutions • Previous experience executing/managing trials working to support development and implementation of performance and quality testing programs to capture environmental data, phenotype data and define experimental designs that support robust decisions, strengthen go to market messaging and inform breeding models. • Experience in leadership and understanding of strategy, brand management, sales and market analysis. • Have specialized knowledge of variety testing, statistical experimental design, field plot technique, statistical data analysis and interpretation, plus reporting is required. • Possess excellent communication skills, verbal and written; ability to productively interact with people at all levels across the organization. • Ability to travel at least 20% of the time domestically and internationally. • Fluency in English