Senior Scientific Officer-Plant Breeding and Seed Systems

Senior Scientific Officer

ICRISAT seeks applications from Malawian nationals for the post of Senior Scientific Officer-Plant Breeding and Seed Systems to execute breeding and crop improvement activities. This position is based in Malawi. This is a nationally recruited position.

ICRISAT is a non-profit, non-political organization that conducts agricultural research for development in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa with a wide array of partners throughout the world. Covering 6.5 million square kilometers of land in 55 countries, the semi- arid or dryland tropics has over 2 billion people and 644 million of these are the poorest of the poor. ICRISAT and its partners help empower these disadvantaged populations to overcome poverty, hunger and a degraded environment through better agricultural production systems.

ICRISAT is headquartered at Patancheru near Hyderabad, India, with two regional hubs and eight country offices in sub-Saharan Africa. ICRISAT envisions a prosperous, food-secure and resilient dryland tropics. Its mission is to reduce poverty, hunger, malnutrition and environmental degradation in the dryland tropics. ICRISAT conducts research on its mandate crops of chickpea, pigeonpea, groundnut, sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet in the arid and semi-arid tropics. The Institute focuses its work on the drylands and in protecting the environment. Tropical dryland areas are usually seen as resource-poor and perennially beset by shocks such as drought, thereby trapping dryland communities in poverty and hunger and making them dependent on external aid. Please visit www.icrisat.org

Duties and Responsibilities:

•  Supervises and executes groundnut breeding-related tasks including field and glasshouse operations, seed processing and seed inventory as directed by the supervisor.
• Executes basic field/glass house operations by following breeding SOPs
• Executes crosses, population advancement, harvests, and data recording and management via the BMS.
• Receives instructions related to crop improvement tasks delegated by supervisor, and supervises activities of the Field Attendant(s).
• Responds to schedules of operations and situation-specific demands that impact the execution of tasks.
• Executes crop operations including METs and PVS as per schedules and specific tasks entrusted by the Team Coordinator.
• Executes seed systems operations in the field including interfacing with partners.
• Linkages with NARS partners in groundnut breeding and seed systems programs.
• Linages with private sector (seed companies), public and farmer associations engaged in seed production.
• Completes tasks consistently and safely through varying situations.

  Requirements: 

• Masters in Agricultural Sciences, plant Breeding/Crop Improvement.

• At least 2 years of experience in agricultural operations involving handling of breeding materials.
• Knowledge of trial design, designing nurseries, making crosses, population advancement, data collection, analysis and reporting.
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary team.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

• Valid drivers License.

• Fluency in English.

General:

This is a contractual role for a period of 12 months (1 year)

How to apply:

Applicants should apply on or before 06 September 2024, with their latest Resume, and the names and contact information of three references that are knowledgeable about their professional qualifications and work experience. All applications will be acknowledged; however only short-listed candidates will be contacted.