Research Assistant 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 Assistant

Location: Ibadan, Oyo
Employment Type: Contract
Duration: 1-year renewable

Duties

• Liaise with the Aquaculture Technology Transfer Officer to monitor the GIFT parent stock transferred and maintained in a bio secure facility, and functional GIFT brood stock quarantine facility at Premium Aquaculture Ltd., and raising F1 to produce F1 broodstock and produce F2 progeny.
• Liaise with the Delta Coordinator, and Aquaculture Technology Transfer Officer and work with the identified consultants to set up two to three SME GIFT hatchery operators in Delta, Ogun, Kwara and Nasarawa States.
• Liaise with the Delta Coordinator and Aquaculture Technology Transfer Officer to organise identified grow out farmers in Delta, Ogun, Kwara and Nasarawa to start the GIFT grow out pilots.
• Assist in procurement of hapa nets and feed for the GIFT SME hatchery and grow out operators.
• Assist in the procurement of feed for the grow out pilots.
• Assist in the implementation of inputs distribution to pilot grow out and SME hatchery farmers in Delta, Kwara, Nasarawa and Ogun States.
• Raise issues with the Officer-in-Charge of Nigeria for trouble shooting.
• Perform any other job-related duties as may be assigned by the supervisor.

Requirements

• B.Sc / HND in Fisheries and Aquaculture, Animal Science or any other related field with a minimum of four (4) years’ experience in aquaculture farm operations particularly in tilapia performing similar role in in a well-structured environment

Competencies:
The ideal candidate must:

• Be experience in aquaculture farm data collection and farm record keeping and monitoring, preferably in donor funded or not for profit environment set up.
• Be experience in fish breeding, quality control of fish fry and fingerlings and transportation, and calculation of fish feed rations.
• Be experience in working with fish value chain actors
• Computer literacy and basic data processing experience.
• Be experience in using computerized data storage and analytical packages such as Excel, SPSS
• Have the ability to think clearly and analytically, setting priorities, meeting deadlines, solving problems, and making timely and appropriate decisions;
• Have excellent communication skills verbal and written in English;
• Be proficient in the use of ICT packages including Windows, Word, PowerPoint, etc.;
• Have excellent interpersonal, networking, and negotiation skills with staff, value chain actors counterparts, and partners;
• Be accurate, detail orientated and have good communication skills verbal and written.
• Have the ability to work with minimum supervision.

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

Application Closing Date
29th December, 2023.