ILRI vacancy: Post Doctoral Scientist – Livestock Feeds, West Africa

Deadline: 23 August 2013

Vacancy Number: PDSLF/WA/HT/01/2013
Humidtropics
Location: Ibadan, Nigeria or Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Duration: 2 years with the possibility of renewal

Base salary dependent on skills and experience – from USD 35,000 per annum with an attractive international benefits package (tax free*).

 The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) works to enhance the roles livestock play in pathways out of poverty in developing countries. ILRI is a member of the CGIAR Consortium, a global research partnership of 15 centres working with many partners for a food-secure future. ILRI has two main campuses in East Africa and other hubs in East, West and southern Africa and South, Southeast and East Asia. www.ilri.org.

CGIAR is a global agricultural research partnership for a food-secure future. Its science is carried out by 15 research centres that are members of the CGIAR Consortium in collaboration with hundreds of partner organizations. www.cgiar.org.

Humidtropics, a CGIAR Research Program (CRP), seeks to transform the lives of the rural poor in tropical Americas, Asia and Africa. Innovative integrated systems research in the humid tropics will help poor farm families, often led by women, boost their agricultural productivity while preserving the land for future generations. ILRI is heavily engaged in the Humidtropics, leading Strategic Research Theme (SRT) 1 on Systems Analysis and Global Synthesis with strong inputs into other SRT’s. Further information is available at:http://humidtropics.org/

The Position: ILRI seeks to recruit a post-doctoral fellow with knowledge of ruminant feeding issues in mixed-crop livestock systems in the developing world. The post-doctoral fellow will work in ILRI’s Animal Science for Sustainable Productivity Program and be responsible for conducting research within the Humidtropics Programme and the USAID Africa RISING Programme in West Africa. S/he should have a solid background in livestock nutrition, an understanding of smallholder livestock systems and experience in the use of participatory research methods.

Responsibilities:

• Characterizing livestock feeding systems in mixed crop-livestock systems;
• Refining existing rapid assessment tools for feed assessment and applying them in study areas;
• Developing and applying participatory methods for identifying promising feed intervention strategies in smallholder systems;
• Conducting action research to test feed options with smallholder farmers;
• Evidence of IT skills relevant to the development of IT-based tools for feeding systems analysis and planning;
• Publishing the results of research in high quality peer-reviewed international journals and in other media;
• Working with and building the capacity of students.

 Essential Skills and Qualifications will include:

• PhD in livestock nutrition or related discipline, (PhD must have been attained within the last 3 years);
• Sound understanding of livestock feeding issues in developing countries;
• A systems perspective especially related to intensification of mixed crop-livestock systems in Africa;
• Demonstrated capability of conducting field-based experimentation in mixed crop-livestock systems;
• Strong quantitative and analytical skills;
• Work experience in developing countries in Africa, Asia or Latin America;
• Proven skills to work in multidisciplinary teams and to obtain positive results from working in diverse partnerships.
• Experience of using participatory research methods in smallholder systems would be an advantage;
• Track record of publishing in peer reviewed publications;
• Willingness to travel internationally and to rural areas of Africa.

Post location: This position will be based at one of ILRI’s offices in West Africa (Ibadan, Nigeria or Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso).

Position level: Post-doctoral Scientist (4A).

Duration: 2 years with the possibility of renewal, contingent upon individual performance and continued funding.

Terms of appointment: ILRI offers a competitive international remuneration and benefits package which includes: Medical insurance for staff and dependents, Life insurance, Education allowance for children, Housing allowances, Baggage Allowance, Home leave, Annual holiday entitlement of 30 days+public holidays.

*Benefits are tax free subject to compliance with tax regulations of country of citizenship.

Applications: Applicants should submit a cover letter and curriculum vitae which includes a list of publications and the names and addresses (including telephone and email) of three referees who are knowledgeable about the applicant’s professional qualifications and work experience. The position title and reference number: PDSLF/WA/HT/01/2013 should be clearly indicated in the subject line of the cover letter.

All applications to be submitted online on our recruitment portal: http://ilri.simplicant.com on or before 23 August 2013.

ILRI is an equal opportunity employer.