Sweetpotato Breeder Senior Scientist (2024-41) at International Potato Center

About the job

• The International Potato Center (CIP) is seeking to recruit an energetic and results-oriented Senior Scientist to establish a sweetpotato breeding program and oversee the breeding activities in West Africa.

The position:

• The selected candidate will develop and implement a sweetpotato breeding program and coordinating a breeding network aimed at catering the west Africa sweetpotato market segments.
• The selected candidate will work closely with local partner organizations including CGIAR and NARES institutions, as well as other partners to establish a crossing and evaluation program aiming at the delivery of superior varieties able to support rapid adoption rates by farmers.
• The Sweetpotato Breeder Senior Scientist will be based in Nigeria where she/he will establish the program and the breeding network.
• The incumbent will function as a member of the CIP global breeding team and report to the Leader of Crop Improvement and co-report to the Africa breeding lead.

Key Responsibilities

Science leadership

• Lead and manage sweetpotato breeding programs, focusing on developing high-yielding, disease-resistant, and climate-resilient varieties.
• Collaborate with local and international research institutions, farmers, and stakeholders to ensure the adoption of new varieties.
• Conduct genetic analysis and utilize modern breeding techniques, including marker-assisted selection and genomic tools.
• Collect, analyze, and interpret data to inform breeding decisions and strategies.
• Publish research findings in peer-reviewed journals and present results at scientific conferences.
• Mentor and train junior scientists, technicians, and students in sweetpotato breeding techniques and methodologies.
• Collaborate closely with CIP social scientists, economists and gender specialists’ teams to ensure the update and refinement of Product Profiles and Market Segments served.
• Maintain updated estimates of genetic gains.
• Represent the sweetpotato breeding program in both internal and external meetings, and promote the visibility of progress and success through active engagement with the communications team

Strategic Planning & Management

• Establish and coordinate West Africa sweetpotato breeding network.
• Coordinate the yearly planning process and revision of the breeding pipelines.
• Organize product advancement meetings.
• Identify and guide the development of concept notes and research ideas for resource mobilization purposes.
• Support and contribute to the planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the partners annual workplans and budgets of the funded activities.
• Facilitate collaborative research among/within NARS in SSA.
• Building linkages among multiple partners including NARS, NGOs, seed companies/associations and policy makers to ensure a vibrant and responsive breeding program.
• Manages the sweetpotato breeding budget and the budget allocation process.