Job Detail

The International Potato Center is seeking to recruit highly qualified and experienced Research Associate, Agronomist.

About the role:

The selected candidate will be responsible to carry out agronomy related activities for the DeSIRA project.

The Position:

This position is based in Lilongwe, Malawi and will report to the Senior Project Manager.

Key responsibilities:

• • Collaborate with CIP scientists to review, develop and implement protocols to conduct integrated research options on potato and sweet potato at both on-station and on-farm locations
  • Conduct protocol briefing and technical training for implementing partners, researchers, graduate students, and farmers on experimental field layout, plot establishment, trial maintenance and data collection for both on-station and on-farm experiments
  • Establish on-station and on-farm experiments to evaluate, validate and demonstrate various integrated technology options for potato and sweet potato with collaborating partners and FFS groups
  • Develop joint action plan among implementing partners and collaborators to allow site co-location, integration, collaboration and evaluation of technologies by team of multi-disciplinary partners.
  • Develop appropriate manuals to disseminate methodologies, guidelines/standards on field layout, data collection and participatory evaluation of technologies at both on-station and on-farm locations
  • Organize technology/science field days, field evaluation sessions, monitoring and cross-learning exchange visits
  • Data collection and regular monitoring and supervisory visits to the on-station and on-farm sites to ensure high quality of research outputs
  • Contribute to the establishment and running of district innovation platform to enhance participatory technology development/ identification, testing, knowledge exchange, monitoring and evaluation, and dissemination
  • Participate in district level innovation platform meetings to engage with multiple stakeholders in the participatory evaluation of the technologies
  • Contribute to the development of annual work plan, technical reports, project success stories and research publication in peer-reviewed journals and others media
  • Undertake any other related duties arising from other CIP projects and programs in Malawi

Requirements

What are we looking for?

• • MSc. in Agronomy or related area
  • At least 6 years of experience required in similar position
  • Minimum of 3 years of experience working as an Agronomist.  Those with experience working for donor-funded agricultural development projects will have an added advantage
  • Advance level of MS Office
  • Advance knowledge of database work.
  • Field and laboratory equipment managing.
  • Knowledge of data base management.
  • Experience in preparation of reports and scientific publications.
  • Knowledge of statistical research analysis and experimental design, planning and managing field experiments.

Benefits

Why should you consider this opportunity?

• • CIP is a global and reputable international organization that has a strong, state-of-the-art R&D background, and is a recent World Food Price Winner and awarded with the Al- Sumait Award for our Orange Flesh Sweet Potato work in Africa.
  • CIP is dedicated to achieving food security, improved nutrition and well-being, and gender equality for poor people in root and tuber farming and food systems of the developing world.
  • CIP is a member of the CGIAR Consortium, a network of 15 research centers that are mostly located in the developing world and supported by more than 50 donor members.

What are the conditions?

• This is a Nationally Recruited Staff (NRS) position limited to Malawi nationals and permanent residents only. The employment contracts will be for a one year term (with a 3-month probation period) and the possibility of renewal subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funds.

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