--- title: 'Senior Program Manager at Ohalo' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/senior-program-manager-ohalo-south-san-francisco-wfwm724caxnj' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-11-09' --- # Senior Program Manager at Ohalo - **Company:** Ohalo - **Location:** South San Francisco, CA - **Posted:** 2026-11-03 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-09 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/ohalogenetics/jobs/4750052005 ## Job description Title: Senior Program Manager Location: South San Francisco Type: Full-time / On-Site Ohalo is hiring a Senior Program Manager (PM) to lead strategic programs across the organization. You will run cross-functional programs that span Biotech R&D, engineering, and operations. You will take complex initiatives from concept to delivery. This is a full-accountability leadership role. You will act as general manager for a set of high-impact programs. You will own outcomes, set strategy, and direct work across technical and business teams. This role requires strong program management fundamentals and a track record of leading complex, cross-functional initiatives. You should be a strong leader and systems thinker who is motivated to build AI apps and agents that keep work running continuously. The ideal person thrives in a high-ownership, fast-moving environment and is excited by leading complex, high-stakes initiatives from ambiguity to execution. AI is changing how biological discovery and development get done. We want someone who will lead that change, not wait for it. Responsibilities: Program General Management & Accountability - Own program success for one or more strategic, cross-functional programs. - Design and implement scalable processes and methods for planning, execution, and tracking. - Drive alignment with stakeholders and executive leadership. own decisions, escalations, and accountability. - Own budgeting, forecasting, and analytics of managed programs. Cross-Functional Execution & Communication - Build and maintain integrated program plans that connect workstreams across teams. Make dependencies and critical paths explicit, and manage them. - Define how each program fits together: workstreams, interfaces, handoffs, and validation. Keep teams executing to one integrated schedule. - Make the call on trade-offs and escalations; drive alignment across scientists, operators, and executive leadership without waiting for consensus. - Spot bottlenecks early and unblock teams through clear priorities and fast follow-through. - Translate technical complexity into clear artifacts for audiences ranging from scientists to Ohalo’s board. - Use AI as a force multiplier that runs  program work, continuously (tracking, reporting, follow-ups), not one-off analyses or reports. Hold a high bar for accuracy and traceability. - Hold the team to the same standard and help each member build AI into how they work. Qualifications: - 8+ years of experience leading cross-functional programs in R&D, Engineering, technology, operations, or a related field. - Strong engineering fundamentals, with experience taking technical work from design through deployment. - Hands-on with AI and eager to go further: you use AI tools in your daily work and want to build apps and agents that run work continuously, not just one-off analyses or reports. - Strong systems thinker. Comfortable working across disciplines and turning ambiguity into executable plans. - Track record of leading cross-functional teams and delivering on timelines and commitments. - Proven ability to influence without authority and build alignment between technical and non-technical stakeholders. - High-ownership leader who is energized by mission-driven work and follows through. - First-principles thinker who questions “how it’s always been done” and isn’t afraid to redesign a process. - A Bachelor’s degree is required, ideally in a technical discipline. An advanced degree is preferred - Experience in a scientific, technical, or engineering environment is required. The anticipated base pay range for this role is $180,000 - $220,000 per year for our South San Francisco location. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, budget availability, internal equity, geographic location and external market pay for comparable jobs. About Ohalo: Ohalo™ aims to accelerate evolution to unlock nature's potential. Founded in 2019, Ohalo develops novel breeding systems and improved plant varieties that help farmers grow more food with fewer natural resources, increasing the yield, resiliency, and genetic diversity of crops to sustainably feed our population. Ohalo's breakthrough technology, Boosted Breeding™, will usher in a new era of improved productivity to radically transform global agriculture. For more information, visit [www.ohalo.com](https://c212.net/c/link/?t=0&l=en&o=4172870-1&h=3148035140&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ohalo.com%2F&a=www.ohalo.com). Notes: If you previously applied for a job at Ohalo Genetics, we encourage you to restate your interest in the position by submitting your application. No visa sponsorship is available for this position at this time. Ohalo is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state or local laws. Ohalo is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Please let your recruiter know if you need an accommodation at any point during the interview process. This organization participates in E-Verify. Posters linked [here.](https://www.e-verify.gov/sites/default/files/everify/posters/IER_RightToWorkPoster%20Eng_Es.pdf) No recruiters, please. ## About Ohalo ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: Ohalo develops novel plant breeding systems, primarily its Boosted Breeding™ technology, to dramatically increase crop yields, resilience, and genetic diversity while reducing resource use for global agriculture. - **Entity Type**: Private (Series B) - **Headquarters**: South San Francisco, California, United States - **Founded**: 2019 - **Founders**: David Friedberg (CEO), Jud Ward (Chief Technology Officer) ## Core Business - **Primary industry/industries**: Agricultural Biotechnology, Plant Breeding, AgTech - **Target customers**: B2B — global seed companies, commercial growers, and agricultural supply chain partners (e.g., strawberry, potato, almond, corn, and berry producers). - **Mission or purpose statement**: "Accelerating evolution to unlock nature's potential" — aiming to sustainably feed a growing population by shrinking the environmental footprint of agriculture through faster, more efficient plant breeding. ## Products & Services - **Boosted Breeding™**: A proprietary breeding platform that suppresses meiotic recombination, allowing offspring to inherit the complete genome from both parents (2x + 2x = 4x™). This creates "Boosted" plants that contain all beneficial traits from each parent, accelerating genetic gain and delivering predictable heterosis without multi-year selection cycles. - **Agile Breeding™**: A service that applies the Boosted Breeding platform across multiple crops to rapidly develop improved varieties. - **True Seed™**: A plant-breeding service delivering uniform, disease-free seedlings directly to growers — ready to sow, right out of the packet. Applied to crops like strawberries and potatoes. - **FruitionOne™**: The world's first self-fertile Nonpareil almond variety, eliminating the need for traditional bee pollination and cross-variety planting. - **Value-Added Traits**: Custom-developed traits (e.g., improved sustainability, better taste, longer shelf life, disease resistance) integrated into existing varieties for supply chain improvements. ## Market Standing - **Valuation/Market Cap**: Not publicly disclosed. - **Key Metric**: Total funding of approximately $100M (USD 99,999,969) across multiple rounds: - Seed (2019): Not disclosed - Early-stage venture (2021): $3.7M - Venture round (2024-01-25): $40.0M (2 investors) - Venture round (2024-05-01): $60.0M - Series B (2025-01-01): 1 investor - **Notable Investors/Partners**: Incubated by The Production Board (venture firm founded by David Friedberg). Partners include University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), Florida Foundation Seed Producers, Inc., Florida Strawberry Growers Association, and the Ohalo Strawberry Consortium. - **Growth Signals**: - Headcount grew 40% YoY to 85 employees (with 17 active job postings as of mid-2025). - Recognized on the "50 by 2050" list by Congruent Ventures and Silicon Valley Bank for climate tech innovation. - Launched FruitionOne™ (self-fertile almond) and the Ohalo Strawberry Consortium in 2025. - Expanding into Brazil and United Arab Emirates. - CEO David Friedberg has appeared on the All-In Podcast with the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, signaling high-level policy engagement. ## Competitive Advantages - **Proprietary technology moat**: Boosted Breeding™ is a breakthrough approach that fundamentally changes plant reproduction — enabling entire genome inheritance from both parents. This is a patentable, hard-to-replicate scientific platform applicable to nearly every crop. - **Speed to market**: Traditional breeding can take decades; Ohalo's method can deliver improved varieties in a fraction of the time, with predictable outcomes. - **Broad crop applicability**: The platform works across potatoes, corn, berries, almonds, and more — not limited to a single crop. - **Strong investor & partner network**: Backed by The Production Board and partnered with major agricultural research institutions and grower consortia. - **Sustainability angle**: Higher yields with fewer inputs (water, land, pesticides) aligns with global climate and food security trends. ## Strategic Focus - **Commercial expansion**: Scaling the Ohalo Strawberry Consortium and potato programs, with plans to enter corn, berries, and other row crops. - **Partnership development**: Collaborating with seed companies, grower groups, and research institutions to license Boosted Breeding™ and distribute True Seed™. - **R&D pipeline**: Developing new self-fertile and disease-resistant varieties (e.g., FruitionOne™ almonds) and integrating value-added traits. - **Global footprint**: Building operations in Brazil and UAE to address international agricultural markets. - **Talent acquisition**: Actively hiring across engineering, plant breeding, commercial sales, and operations — with 17 open roles as of mid-2025. ## Why Work Here - **Mission-driven work**: Directly contribute to solving global food security and sustainability challenges through cutting-edge science. - **Innovative culture**: Described as "Farmers First," with a bias toward action, iteration, and finding truth — a fast-paced, science-first environment. - **Talent & team**: Employees come from top institutions (UC Davis, Iowa State, North Carolina State) and companies (Driscoll's, Zymergen, Inari). The team includes 29 researchers (26% of workforce) and 20 technical staff (18%). - **Growth trajectory**: 40% YoY headcount growth and $100M in funding signal a well-resourced, scaling company with career advancement opportunities. - **Diverse roles**: Openings range from Senior Full Stack Engineer and Quantitative Geneticist to Technical Sales Representatives and Greenhouse Technicians — appealing to both technical and commercial talent. - **Location & flexibility**: Headquarters in South San Francisco, CA, with remote roles available for some positions (e.g., Technical Sales Representatives across multiple US regions). Presence in Brazil and UAE offers global exposure. - **Perks**: Not explicitly listed, but as a well-funded private company, competitive compensation and equity are likely. The company emphasizes "improving the lives of farmers" and a collaborative, truth-seeking culture. ## Sources 1. [ohalo.com](https://www.ohalo.com/) 2. [ohalo.com/about](https://www.ohalo.com/about) 3. [Greenhouse Careers](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/ohalogenetics) 4. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ohalo_Genetics) 5. [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/ohalo-genetics) ## Other roles at Ohalo - [Seed Supply Operations Lead](https://feeny.ai/job/seed-supply-operations-lead-ohalo-south-san-francisco-091tvwh54fky) — South San Francisco, CA - [Regulatory Affairs Specialist](https://feeny.ai/job/regulatory-affairs-specialist-ohalo-south-san-francisco-4mzcswe5hg4z) — South San Francisco, CA - [Accounting Analyst](https://feeny.ai/job/accounting-analyst-ohalo-pacific-mountain-or-central-time-zones-b80pp69vw18k) — Pacific Mountain OR Central Time Zones, United States - [Accounting Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/accounting-manager-ohalo-pacific-mountain-or-central-time-zones-a1cz5rq1wxs9) — Pacific Mountain OR Central Time Zones, United States - [IT Support Associate](https://feeny.ai/job/it-support-associate-ohalo-south-san-francisco-09xbdvtemfxf) — South San Francisco, CA - [Senior Technical Agronomist](https://feeny.ai/job/senior-technical-agronomist-ohalo-sao-paulo-6xht62cmmhk5) — São Paulo, Brazil - [Office & Operations Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/office-operations-manager-ohalo-watsonville-xdtpapmpa860) — Watsonville, CA - [Gene Editing Lab Technician (2nd Shift)](https://feeny.ai/job/gene-editing-lab-technician-2nd-shift-ohalo-south-san-francisco-0nn874vtcy7g) — South San Francisco, CA - [Gene Editing Lab Technician (1st Shift)](https://feeny.ai/job/gene-editing-lab-technician-1st-shift-ohalo-south-san-francisco-wtjwhtfy1fsx) — South San Francisco, CA - [IPM Supervisor](https://feeny.ai/job/ipm-supervisor-ohalo-watsonville-m3a83ne53cdz) — Watsonville, CA