Operation research engineer

At Syngenta our goal is to build the most collaborative and trustworthy team in agriculture providing top-quality seeds and innovative crop protection solutions that improve farmers success. To support this mission Syngentas Analytics & Data Sciences Team is seeking an Operations Research Engineer in Malta IL. This role will drive operational efficiency and decision quality across Seeds Research & Development by designing building and scaling algorithmic decision-support solutions.

The role applies Operations Research and Mathematical Optimization to complex end-to-end business processestranslating business objectives and constraints into robust models integrating them into Syngentas digital ecosystem and enabling measurable improvements in service cost speed and resource utilization.

Accountabilities:

• Design build and deploy mathematical optimization models using Linear Programming (LP) Mixed-Integer Programming (MIP) Nonlinear Programming (NLP) Constraint Programming (CP) and hybrid approaches as appropriate.
• Translate business objectives constraints and operating policies into robust mathematical formulations with clear assumptions and acceptance criteria.
• Integrate optimization solutions into Syngentas digital ecosystem.
• Identify collect cleanse and structure data from multiple sources; define input/output specifications data quality requirements and data lineage for optimization models.
• Define and align business KPIs and metrics that drive optimization objectives and enable value tracking.
• Validate models through testing back-testing and scenario analysis; run simulations and what-if analyses to assess robustness and quantify trade-offs.
• Lead and manage projects delivering optimization solutions for strategic decisions and day-to-day operations such as scope timeline risks and stakeholder alignment.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams and line-of-business users to review current operational systems and processes identify pain points and prioritize optimization use cases.
• Communicate clearly on bottlenecks insights and recommendations to enable informed decisions by management and operational teams.
• Work in an agile way and adhere to engineering best practices.
• Contribute to capability building by developing technical training materials and curricula to support adoption and awareness of Operations Research solutions.
• PhD in Operations Research Applied Mathematics Industrial Engineering Data Science Management Science Computer Science or a related field.
• 5 years of applied experience designing building and deploying Operations Research / Mathematical Optimization solutions in an industrial context.
• Strong understanding of Operations Research techniques with emphasis on mathematical programming.
• Proficiency in Python for optimization data processing and automation; ability to write production-quality maintainable code.
• Hands-on experience with optimization solvers and modeling tools (e.g. Gurobi SCIP FICO Xpress COPT) and building end-to-end optimization applications.
• Strong problem-framing and structured problem-solving skills: ability to identify complex business problems assess fit for OR techniques and deliver scalable decision-support solutions.
• Proven track record delivering implemented business process improvement solutions with measurable impact.
• Ability to identify access and translate relevant data into actionable evidence-based decisions; ensure data quality consistency and traceability across sources.

Qualifications :

• Experience in Manufacturing Supply Chain or Logistics environments.
• Knowledge of combinatorial optimization techniques.
• Familiarity with modern development practices and tooling (Git/GitHub code reviews testing).
• Experience using AI-assisted coding tools (e.g. GitHub Copilot).
• Experience building lightweight decision-support interfaces and visualizations (e.g. Streamlit or similar) to support user adoption.
• Ability to operate effectively in a matrix organization by building strong partnerships and influencing stakeholders at multiple levels without direct authority.
• Ability to generate strategic insights from complex analyses and communicate them clearly to drive measurable improvements in operational efficiency and effectiveness.
• Strong analytical mindset with the ability to communicate complex concepts clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.

Additional Information :

Salary for this position ranges between $106000 - $145000 annually.  

What We Offer: 

• A culture that celebrates belonging and collaboration promotes professional development and strives for a work-life balance that supports the team members. Offers flexible work options to support your work and personal needs. 
• Full Benefit Package (Medical Dental & Vision) that starts your first day. 
• 401k plan with company match Profit Sharing & Retirement Savings Contribution. 
• Paid Vacation Paid Holidays Maternity and Paternity Leave Education Assistance Wellness Programs Corporate Discounts among other benefits. 

Syngenta has been ranked as a top employer by Science Journal. Learn more about our team and our mission here:  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. 

WL: 5B

#LI-REMOTE

Remote Work :

No

Employment Type :

Full-time