Research Supervisor at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is a not-for-profit institution that generates agricultural innovations to meet Africa’s most pressing challenges of hunger, malnutrition, poverty, and natural resource degradation. Working with various partners across sub-Saharan Africa, we improve livelihoods, enhance food and nutrition security, increase employment, and preserve natural resource integrity. IITA is a member of CGIAR, a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Title: Research Supervisor

Location: Ibadan, Oyo
Job type: Full time
Contract: 3-year renewable contract

Duties

• Assist in implementing field and screen house yam breeding trials such as planting, managing, harvesting on field and screen house trials, perform post-harvest operation including managing yam barn storage, food quality testing, and end-user preference capturing.
• Assist breeder with the establishment and management of seedling nursery and tuber, family nurseries, crossing block, and pollination activities.
• Support identification of traits in yam breeding lines and germplasm that are desirable for recycling as parent and advancement, such as disease resistance, increased yield, or improved food quality.
• Assist in preparing field books and collect data from field and screen house trials with appropriate e-data capturing tools.
• Assist in implementing and sustain automation of hybridization data using yam cross-app.
• Maintain and increase breeder working collections, parents, and test clones and released cultivars for trialing and delivery.
• Coordinate distribution of germplasm for testing networks, retrieving data, and ensure data entry to the database.
• Ensure timely availability of germplasm inventory reports, analyze the data and report to the Supervisor on time.
• Supervise daily casual laborers and other subordinate staff.
• Prepare with the research associate the weekly activities for the technicians and field workers.
• Support in the publication of yam breeding research findings in top-quality and high impact journals.
• Perform any other job-related duties as may be assigned by the Supervisor.

Qualifications

• B.Sc/HND in Plant Breeding, Genetics, Plant Science or related field with a minimum of three (3) years’ experience performing a similar role in a well-structured environment.
• Possession of valid drivers’ license is an added advantage.

Competencies
The ideal candidate must:

• Be experienced in crop breeding program, preferably yam/vegetative propagated crops.
• Have in-depth knowledge of yam breeding principles, techniques, and methodologies.
• Be proficient in designing and implementing field and screen house.
• Have excellent verbal and written English/communication skill to convey complex scientific concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Be experienced in the analysis of genetic and breeding data, using statistical tools to derive meaningful insights.
• Be a team player and have the ability to work with staff of diverse ethnic backgrounds, culture, belief, and nationalities.
• Be able to work in field, screen house and on-farm conditions for long time.

Benefits
We offer highly competitive salaries with equally attractive benefits and excellent working conditions in a pleasant campus environment.

Application Closing Date
15th December, 2023.