Data Scientist Intern

Syngenta Seeds is one of the world’s largest developers and producers of seed for farmers, commercial growers, retailers and small seed companies. Syngenta seeds improve the quality and yields of crops. High-quality seeds ensure better and more productive crops, which is why farmers invest in them. Advanced seeds help mitigate risks such as disease and drought and allow farmers to grow food using less land, less water and fewer inputs.

Syngenta Seeds brings farmers more vigorous, stronger, resistant plants, including innovative hybrid varieties and biotech crops that can thrive even in challenging growing conditions.

Syngenta Seeds is headquartered in the United States.

We invite you to help us shape the future of agriculture. At Syngenta, we believe every employee has a role to play in safely feeding the world and taking care of our planet. The Vegetables R&D team is currently seeking a Data Scientist Intern in Durham, NC. This summer intern will work on cutting-edge projects developing ML models for data-driven recommendations to support product advancement and placement decisions.

At Syngenta, you have the opportunity to work alongside some of the brightest minds in the industry, and work on real projects finding real solutions. Work with us and you’ll get:

• Competitive wages
• Ongoing career development resources 
• The opportunity to work on meaningful, innovative projects that solve problems
• A culture that celebrates diversity & inclusion, promotes professional development, and offers flexible work options to meet both your work and personal needs

Estimated Duration: May 2026– August 2026

You will:

• Collaborate with data scientists on the product advancement and placement analytics team for research initiatives
• Gather, transform, and process large structured and unstructured datasets for model training
• Develop methodologies to integrate and analyze diverse data types
• Design and validate AI algorithms for product decision recommendations
• Research and apply explainable AI techniques to ensure transparent reasoning behind recommendations
• Document research findings, model limitations, and strategic recommendations for future development

What you must have:

• Masters or PhD candidate in data science, computer science, quantitative genetics, or related field
• Must be a current student continuing education upon completion of internship term (Graduation date of December 2026 or AFTER)
• Demonstrated experience in AI/ML model development and evaluation
• Proven ability to handle large, complex datasets efficiently
• Strong programming skills in Python (preferred) and other relevant languages.
• Experience with cloud computing.

What you might also contribute to the team:

• Good written and oral communication skills with a proactive, collaborative approach
• Proven ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams
• Strong analytical curiosity with ability to investigate complex problems and deliver innovative solutions

What We Offer:

• A culture that celebrates diversity & inclusion, 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.

Syngenta has been ranked as a top employer by Science Journal.
Learn more about our team and our mission here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVCN_51GbNI

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.

#LI-DNI