Research Associate 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 Associate

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

Duties

• Perform field phenotyping for various abiotic stresses prevalent in Rainfed Lowland ecosystems for rice cultivation including drought, flooding and fe-toxicity.
• Conduct field testing of different stages of breeding lines/populations.
• Create related studies in EBS, collect data, and upload the data into EBS in a timely manner.
• Assist in leaf sampling for genotyping.
• Prepare seeds for grain quality and disease resistance screenings, and for field testing on AfricaRice Research Stations and NARS in different countries.
• Assist in collection, curation, analysis research data and draft reports and research publications.
• Ensure digitization and barcoding of breeding nurseries, trials and seed inventories.
• Supervise technicians and labors on a daily basis.
• Assist in degree and non-degree training programs
• Perform any other job-related duties as may be assigned by the supervisor.

Requirements

• Masters in Plant Physiology, Genetics and Plant Breeding or any other related field with a minimum of three (3) years’ experience in the design and implementation of experimental research on grain crops in a well-structured environment.

Competencies:
The ideal candidate must:

• Be competent in statistical analysis of research data.
• Be experienced in cereal crop phenotyping and physiology/cereal crop breeding.
• Be experienced in data collection and statistical analysis.
• Have knowledge of markers-assisted breeding and genomic selection is desirable.
• Have strong communication and organizational skills and ability to work in a multicultural environment.
• Have the ability to implement tasks autonomously with minimal supervision and a collaborative team spirit to work effectively in a multidisciplinary team under pressure.
• Have high integrity results oriented and able to exercise good judgment and think creatively and strategically.

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

Application Closing Date
2nd January, 2024.