ST. LOUIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Science magazine has recognized Monsanto as one of the world’s top employers, ranking the company No. 9 in Science’s 2015 Top Employer survey. The survey spotlights the 20 best companies in the biotechnology, biopharmaceutical, pharmaceutical and related industries, as well as the characteristics that make them great places to work. “I am pleased to see Monsanto recognized by Science as a top employer,” said Robb Fraley, Ph.D., Monsanto chief technology officer. “I am constantly inspired by the great people we have working at Monsanto; the bright minds, the diverse backgrounds and the collaborative spirit of our employees make Monsanto a great place to work.” An independent research firm conducted the survey, which polled employees across related industries and academia around the world. Respondents from North America, Europe and the Asia/Pacific Rim rated companies based on 23 characteristics including financial strength, easy adaptation to change and having a research-driven environment. In fiscal year 2015, Monsanto invested approximately $1.6 billion in research and development. Monsanto’s R&D program focuses on providing farmers with valuable integrated solutions to help them mitigate on-farm challenges and bring more harvest to market. This total systems approach to agricultural innovation includes key development areas such as breeding, biotechnology, crop protection, ag biologicals and data science. As agriculture and data science converge, a workforce with strong STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills has become central to meeting the challenge of making a balanced meal accessible to everyone while protecting natural resources. “As humanity looks to feed a global population growing to nearly 10 billion by 2050, we need to encourage more young people to pursue careers in STEM, and I hope that Monsanto can play a role in their bright futures,” said Fraley. Third party organizations continue to recognize Monsanto as an employer of choice. For more information on these recognitions and others, see Monsanto’s list of workplace recognitions. And watch this video for an entomologist’s perspective on working in R&D at Monsanto. Science’s 2015 Top Employers will be featured in the Oct. 30, 2015, print issue of Science and online at www.sciencecareers.org/TopEmployers2015. About Monsanto Company Monsanto is committed to bringing a broad range of solutions to help nourish our growing world. We produce seeds for fruits, vegetables and key crops – such as corn, soybeans, and cotton – that help farmers have better harvests while using water and other important resources more efficiently. We work to find sustainable solutions for soil health, help farmers use data to improve farming practices and conserve natural resources, and provide crop protection products to minimize damage from pests and disease. Through programs and partnerships, we collaborate with farmers, researchers, nonprofit organizations, universities and others to help tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges. To learn more about Monsanto, our commitments and our more than 20,000 dedicated employees, please visit: discover.monsanto.com and monsanto.com. Follow our business on Twitter® at twitter.com/MonsantoCo, on the company blog, Beyond the Rows® at monsantoblog.com or subscribe to our News Release RSS Feed.