Background: The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) invites applications for the internationally recruited position of Associate Scientist, Systems Agronomist.

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.

IITA seeks to recruit a Systems Agronomist to undertake strategic and applied research at plot, farm, and landscape levels for the improvement of cropping systems in the target regions. The successful candidate will work in collaboration with agronomists, crop breeders, soil scientists, IPM scientists, and social scientists. He/she will be a member of the IITA Eastern Africa Hub and he/will report to the Senior System Agronomist and Director of Eastern Africa.

Position Responsibilities: 

• To provide leadership for interdisciplinary research leading to improved and more intensified sustainable cropping systems in Eastern Africa Hub
• To design innovative high productive cropping systems
• To foster high quality research in the field of improved agronomy by studying associations of crops, plant to plant communication, and plant-soil microbiome and plant endophyte communications and their effect on improved plant growth and defense
• To conduct high-cutting edge research in the area of improved plant growth development and resistance via priming induced by plant-beneficial plant microorganisms or other agents
• To build an interdisciplinary research platform whereby plant-environment interactions are better understood and used for production involving agronomy, soil fertility, plant pathology, and molecular biology (epigenetics)
• To develop and extend effective partnerships and collaborative relationships with national researchers (at NARES, universities, etc), CGIAR and other partners in cross-cutting research, e.g. with CRP-Roots, Tubers and Bananas and CCAFS, and researchers at advanced research institutes and to represent IITA at scientific conferences
• To mentor and backstop graduate students involved in related research.
• To publish scientific outputs in peer-reviewed IF journals and others (e.g. technical reports, IITA bulletins, or social media and books or book chapters).
• To contribute to resource mobilization through cooperative development of concept notes and proposals.
• Any other duties as assigned by the supervisor.

Qualifications

The candidate should have a Ph.D. in agronomy or soil science with complementary experience in at least 2 of the following disciplines:  plant molecular biology, environmental ecology, plant microbiology, plant pathology, and plant biochemistry

Core Competencies

• Proven skills in field and interdisciplinary research
• Willingness to combine field with laboratory research
• Demonstrate capability for publications for peer reviewed journals
• Willingness to travel extensively within the region
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently in a multidisciplinary and multi-cultural environment.
  

Duty Station: Kampala, Uganda (or Dar es Salaam, Tanzania)

General Information: The initial contract period is for three years, renewable on the basis of performance and availability of funds. IITA offers internationally competitive remuneration package paid in U.S. Dollars.

Applications: Applications must include covering letter which should address how the candidate’s background/experience relates to the specific duties of the position applied for, curriculum vitae, names and addresses of three professional referees (which must include either the Head of the applicant’s current or previous organization or applicant’s direct Supervisor/Superior at his/her present or former place of work). The application should be addressed to the Head, Human Resources Service. 

Closing Date: The position will remain open until a suitable candidate is found.

IITA is an equal opportunity employer and particularly welcomes applications from women candidates.

Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.