Postdoctoral Fellow, Systems Agronomist Job at IITA Nigeria

[Jobrib]

Job Title: Postdoctoral Fellow, Systems Agronomist

Company: IITA

Location: Nigeria

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Job Description:

The primary responsibilities will include:

• Oversee and develop R4D plan and implement crop and soil management strategies with partners and farmers and also ensure effective implementation of activities.

• Promote integrated soil fertility management by means of innovative extension approaches such as FFS that would facilitate wider adoption and empower farmers.

• Contribute in research and technical capacity building via the introduction of new germplasm of cassava, banana and beans and evaluation of its acceptability from production to organoleptic characteristics.

• Establish multiplication plots for cassava and mother gardens for banana; followed by training of project partners and farmers in the selection and multiplication of clean planting materials.

• In collaboration with NARS and other project partners, set up demonstration trials, and contribute technical content to the dissemination approaches and strategies to promote their technologies around ISFM, NRM/climate smart agriculture and IPM for banana, cassava and bean cropping systems via FFS. Other duties

• Enhance strategic partnership for effective collaboration between research and development partners including the public and private sectors.

• Support capacity building efforts through 1) backstopping of IITA staff and students and 2) organizing training workshops.

• Keep record on progress of the implementation of activities and achievements and update staff and partners on a quarterly basis on the progress achieved towards the set targets.

• Help develop and produce research outputs in the form of 1) technical reports, 2) scientific publications and 3) training materials.

• Develop training plan, implement and monitor project activities and prepare technical project reports.

• Motivate and involve farming community members in sustainable farming system, eco-friendly fertilizer use, integrated pest and crop management (IPCM) and soil fertility management through training.

• Ensure quality implementation through provision of technical support to project partners, field staff as well as farmers.

• Any other tasks assigned by supervisor.

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Minimum Qualification & Experience:

The candidate should have a PhD in a relevant field in agricultural sciences.

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Skills & abilities:

• At least 3 years of experience in integrated crop and soil management with increasing responsibilities.

• Good knowledge of fertilizer use and Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) in the context of agricultural research and development.

• Good knowledge on participatory variety selection (PVS) and Integrated Crop and Pests Management (ICPM) strategies.

• Good understanding of databases with computing skills in managing data and statistical analyses.

• Ability to synthesize information into easily understood and actionable recommendations for partners and farmers.

• Fluency in English as well as in French with written and oral communication skills.

• Good working knowledge of the MS Office suite of programs specifically Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.

• Successful track record of coordinating teams in a cross cultural and multi disciplinary environment. Duty station: IITA Bujumbura, Burundi.

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Personal Qualities:

Terms & Conditions : Initial appointment is for two years. IITA offers a competitive remuneration package.

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