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

Ref No: STS2025-14
Location: Ibadan, Oyo
Employment Type: Contract
Contract: 3 years renewable 

Duties

• Plan and implement feed and forage production trials, including crop-residue processing and the evaluation of improved feed ingredients in priority states.
• Assist with the preparation, processing, and laboratory analysis of feed, forage and fermentation-derived protein (FDP) samples (nutrient profiling, digestibility testing, and safety assessments).
• Contribute to the setup, management, and monitoring of animal, poultry, and fish feeding trials on-station and on-farm, ensuring accurate performance measurements and adherence to protocols.
• Conduct field data collection, sampling, and initial sample preparation for quality assessment, including forage variety trials and on-farm validations.
• Compile, clean, and manage field, laboratory, survey, and trial datasets; perform basic analysis and contribute to scientific reports, dashboards, and communication materials.
• Coordinate stakeholder engagements with farmers, private-sector actors (e.g., feed mills, integrators), universities/research institutes, and relevant regulatory authorities; support experience-sharing visits, technology demonstrations, and platform meetings.
• Support activities and deliverables across specific project components in Nigeria.
  • Drought-tolerant forage trials in Sahel states;
  • Scaling biotech solutions to convert crop residues to high-quality feed;
  • Economic and performance testing of FDP in poultry and fish;
  • Assessment of mycotoxin contamination and livestock exposure in feeds.
• Provide logistical, operational, and supervisory support; ensure proper use/maintenance of field, farm, and lab equipment; supervise technicians and casual workers as assigned.
• Prepare weekly/monthly summaries and quarterly progress reports; contribute to market studies, policy roundtables, and knowledge products.
• Perform any other job-related tasks as may be assigned by the Head of School. 

Requirements

• MSc in Animal Science, Animal Nutrition, Feed Science and Technology, Agricultural Biotechnology or any other related courses.
• The ideal candidate must have a minimum of four (4) years’ cognate experience performing a similar role in a well-structured environment.

Competencies
The ideal candidate must:

• Demonstrate strong hands‑on expertise in field experimentation, sample collection, and laboratory techniques.
• Be capable of managing multiple tasks across farm operations, laboratory workflows, and varied field environments, with a readiness for frequent travel across Nigeria.
• Show proficiency in data entry, data cleaning, and the use of spreadsheet and statistical analysis tools.
• Exhibit excellent communication and interpersonal abilities, with the capacity to engage diverse stakeholders and support trainings, field demonstrations, and workshops.
• Maintain exceptional organizational skills, a high level of accuracy, and a commitment to robust recordkeeping and data quality.
• Bring sound strategic thinking and leadership capabilities to drive project goals.
• Have a solid understanding of national feed quality and safety standards as well as related procedures.
• Be able to work effectively both independently and within a multidisciplinary team environment.

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

Application Closing Date
12th February, 2026.