Research Associate at IITA - International Institute of Tropical Agriculture

DUTIES: 

• Plan and implement feed and forage production trials, including crop-residue processing and the evaluation of improved feed ingredients in priority states.
• Assist with the preparation, processing, and laboratory analysis of feed, forage and fermentation-derived protein (FDP) samples (nutrient profiling, digestibility testing, and safety assessments).
• Contribute to the setup, management, and monitoring of animal, poultry, and fish feeding trials on-station and on-farm, ensuring accurate performance measurements and adherence to protocols.
• Conduct field data collection, sampling, and initial sample preparation for quality assessment, including forage variety trials and on-farm validations.
• Compile, clean, and manage field, laboratory, survey, and trial datasets; perform basic analysis and contribute to scientific reports, dashboards, and communication materials.
• Coordinate stakeholder engagements with farmers, private-sector actors (e.g., feed mills, integrators), universities/research institutes, and relevant regulatory authorities; support experience-sharing visits, technology demonstrations, and platform meetings.
• Support activities and deliverables across specific project components in Nigeria.
  • Drought-tolerant forage trials in Sahel states;
  • Scaling biotech solutions to convert crop residues to high-quality feed;
  • Economic and performance testing of FDP in poultry and fish;
  •  Assessment of mycotoxin contamination and livestock exposure in feeds.
• Provide logistical, operational, and supervisory support; ensure proper use/maintenance of field, farm, and lab equipment; supervise technicians and casual workers as assigned.
• Prepare weekly/monthly summaries and quarterly progress reports; contribute to market studies, policy roundtables, and knowledge products.
• Perform any other job-related tasks as may be assigned by the Head of School. 

QUALIFICATION:

MSc in Animal Science, Animal Nutrition, Feed Science and Technology, Agricultural Biotechnology or any other related courses. The ideal candidate must have a minimum of four (4) years’ cognate experience performing a similar role in a well-structured environment.