Postdoctoral Fellow, Cassava Seed Systems Specialist at IITA - International Institute of Tropical Agriculture

Ref: DDG-R4D/PDF/CSS/S/02/18
Location: Ibadan, Oyo

Position Responsibilities
The postdoctoral fellow will undertake the following activities:

• Serve as a manager for the support of project building and sustainable Integrated Cassava Seed Systems in Nigeria (BASICS).
• Lead design, planning and implementing of project activities for the breeders seed and quality seed components including multiplication of pre-basic seed, design and running on-station and on-farm demand create trials as well as on-station experiments to demonstrate the benefits of using clean cassava stems.
• Coordinate development, data collection, curation and analysis of all data of IITA’s involvement in the BASCIS project including multiplication production, inventory and cost information, certification and stem sales records, and experiments to improve multiplication methods.
• Lead publishing research output in peer-reviewed international journal articles.
• Implement the SAH rapid multiplication system for cassava in Nigeria at IITA and backstop its implementation with other partners including NRCRI and a private processor.
• Implement and ensure quality seed production and seed certification for cassava with national partners including associated record keeping.
• Track seed flows in all stages of multiplication from pre-basic, basic and commercial seed stages;
• Identify markets and organize commercial stem transactions at all stages including pricing, payment and accounting of transactions.
• Drive development of GoSeed Cassava business plan and operational plan.
• Organize and facilitate BASICS project support in-kind and in-cash for start-up of GoSeed Cassava.
• Facilitate scaling out of SAH technology in Africa through setting up of technology transfer agreements, planning for new laboratory and field locations, and leading training.
• Contribute in the development and dissemination of training documents (flyers, newsletters, posters, training and extension manual etc.).
• Contribute to project monitoring and evaluation.
• Provide technical support to National Agricultural Research and Extension System and commercial seed producers the regions of project operations.
• Liaise between other projects including TAAT with similar objectives to ensure the coordination of related activities.
• Perform other duties as needed and requested by the supervisor.

Educational Qualifications

• The candidate should have a PhD. in Agronomy, Plant Breeding, Crop Production or related discipline.

Core Competencies:

• Minimum of 12 years relevant experience performing similar role. Agricultural economics or agricultural business management experience will be an added advantage.
• Excellent entrepreneurial drive to develop profitable cassava stem businesses.
• Demonstrable supervisory and management skills.
• Experience in propagation of clonally propagated crops (such as cassava), conducting field trials, working in the laboratory and screenhouse settings, managing experiments including data collection and analysis.
• Passion and commitment for academic excellence.
• Able to cope with heavy workloads extending beyond office hours and during weekends.
• Ability to innovate, quickly adapt and apply new methods.
• Ability to organize, analyse data and prepare excellent technical reports and publications.
• Very good leadership, interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to work harmoniously in an interdisciplinary team with an international and intercultural background.

Remuneration
The contract will be for an initial period of two years. IITA offers an internationally competitive remuneration package paid in US Dollars.