Staff Engineer Decision Support & Planning Optimization

We are looking for a Staff Engineer, Decision Support & Planning Optimization to lead AI-powered decision making and planning applications for R&D. The solutions you design and build will shape how R&D works, advancing the AI ecosystem across R&D data, knowledge, skills, and workflows.

What You'll Do

• Lead and apply deep expertise in Python or Java backend engineering to deliver durable, scalable outcomes.
• Lead and apply deep expertise in software architecture and API design to deliver durable, scalable outcomes.
• Lead and apply deep expertise in document ingestion and retrieval patterns to deliver durable, scalable outcomes.
• Lead and apply deep expertise in text embeddings and retrieval-oriented workloads to deliver durable, scalable outcomes.
• Lead and apply deep expertise in AI-assisted engineering with rigorous review to deliver durable, scalable outcomes.
• Lead and apply deep expertise in React or Angular awareness to deliver durable, scalable outcomes.
• Mentor and guide junior and mid-level engineers, fostering a culture of technical excellence and continuous learning.
• Design and implement comprehensive testing strategies, including unit tests, integration tests, and end-to-end validation for knowledge management systems.
• Establish and enforce security best practices and compliance standards throughout the development lifecycle to ensure audit-ready systems.
• Optimize system performance and scalability, identifying bottlenecks and implementing solutions to support growing data volumes and user demands.
• Collaborate across engineering, product and scientific teams to translate complex needs into practical solutions.
• Create and maintain comprehensive technical documentation, architecture diagrams, and knowledge repositories to support team alignment and future development.
• Set a high bar for quality, documentation and thoughtful use of AI-assisted engineering.

**What You Bring**

• Demonstrable experience in Python or Java backend engineering.
• Demonstrable experience in software architecture and API design.
• Demonstrable experience in document ingestion and retrieval patterns.
• Demonstrable experience in text embeddings and retrieval-oriented workloads.
• Demonstrable experience in AI-assisted engineering with rigorous review.
• Demonstrable experience in React or Angular awareness.
• Demonstrable experience in quality and documentation standards.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to influence across technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Proven mentorship and team leadership experience with junior and mid-level engineers.
• Fluent English, written and spoken.

**Bonus Points**

• Experience in agriculture, life sciences, scientific computing, or a regulated enterprise environment.
• Experience building platforms, products, or services used by multiple internal teams.
• Experience working in distributed, international engineering organisations.
• Experience with knowledge management systems, enterprise content management, or information retrieval platforms.
• Familiarity with compliance frameworks, regulatory requirements, and audit-ready system design.
• Experience with cloud platforms and designing for scalability and performance optimization.

Site Details

Jealott's Hill International Research Centre UK is situated in pleasant semi-rural surroundings between Bracknell and Maidenhead and is the place of work for approximately 800 Syngenta scientists and support staff. Jealott’s Hill is one of the main global research and development sites and key activities include research into discovery of new active ingredients, new formulation technologies, product safety and technical support of our product range.

What we offer

• Extensive benefits package including a generous pension scheme, bonus scheme, private medical & life insurance.

• Up to 31.5 days annual holiday.

• Flexible working

• We offer a position which contributes to valuable and impactful work in a stimulating and international environment.

• The opportunity to develop and apply your science within the chemical industry.

• The chance to work as part of a global team to address the current and future needs of the agricultural sector.

• Learning culture and wide range of training options.

Syngenta has been ranked as a top 5 employer and number 1 in agriculture by Science Journal.

Syngenta is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or any other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. Learn more about our D&I initiatives here: