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JOB OPENING: Agricultural Project Lead Scientist

 

This position is an exciting opportunity for an agricultural Project Lead Scientist to work on a project that will last 30-32 months. The project is entitled ‘Adapting Innovations for Resilience to Climate Change for Smallholder Cotton Farmers in Africa (i4Ag-AIRCoA)’. i4Ag is a fund that promotes innovations in the agriculture and food sector, focusing on six key areas: mechanisation; digitalisation; renewable energy; research and extension; cooperation with the private sector; and agricultural policy.

This individual must have:

1. A PhD in any agricultural science, and

2. At least 10 years of experience as cotton scientist (including handling of at least two inter-institutional projects on cotton production in the capacity as principal investigator or equivalent).

The ideal candidate also will have a strong publication record and internationally recognised for his/her work in cotton production research.

The job is based in Washington, DC, and the compensation is aboput $6,000 per month. Applications will be accepted until 30 March 2023.

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A project titled ‘Adapting Innovations for Resilience to Climate Change for Smallholder Cotton Farmers in Africa (i4Ag-AIRCoA)’ being implemented by The International Cotton Advisory Committee (ICAC) invites applications for a full-time contractual consultant position of Program Lead Scientist, co-terminus (up to December 2025) for a project titled ‘Adapting Innovations for Resilience to Climate Change for Smallholder Cotton Farmers in Africa’. The project is carried out by ICAC and CIRAD on behalf of Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH through the “Innovation for Agriculture” (i4Ag) Program, funded and commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

PROGRAM LEAD SCIENTIST

Qualifications: Doctoral Degree (PhD) in any discipline of Agricultural Sciences.

Experience: Minimum 10 years of experience as a cotton scientist including handling of at least two inter-institutional projects on cotton production in the capacity as principal investigator or equivalent.

Desirable: Strong publication record and is internationally recognised for his/her work in cotton production research.

Skills:

· Strong written and verbal skills in English with the ability to grasp complex issues and explain them in simple, concise language. Knowledge of French is preferred.

· Knowledge about global best practices in cotton production.

· Demonstrate strong leadership and managerial skills.

· Strong organisational networking and coordination skills.

· Strategic thinking, data analysis, interpretation, report writing and presentation.

· Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate effectively within multi-disciplinary teams.

Job responsibilities:

· Report to the Executive Director of the ICAC.

· All activities must be strictly conformed to the project MoU and ICAC’s grant agreement with GIZ.

· The job requires the person to work from the ICAC Secretariat offices in Washington, DC.

Overall leadership

· Provide overall leadership for the project implementation.

· Guide the project staff on all activities including procurement, invoices, payments, conducting training programmes and certificate courses.

· Submission and presentation of reports.

Technical leadership

· Provide scientific and technical guidance on the innovations listed in the project, such as the development of climate resilient varieties, biochar, nano-biopesticides and agronomy for high yields.

· Provide package of practices and layout design for the on-farm farmer-participatory demos/trials.

· Provide guidance on setting up of the nano-biopesticide production units and entrepreneurship development.

· Coordinate baseline monitoring of soil carbon through NIR and changes in productivity and insecticide usage in the target sites.

· Guide the formulation of technical programme of involved MSc students.

Coordination

· Visit Cameroon and Cote d’Ivoire as listed in the work plan to coordinate the project work.

· Liaise with the accountants and financial auditors.

· Work closely with the Project Administrator, accountants, and other project staff to ensure proper filing systems of all documents related to the project.

· Attend monthly meetings with main project implementing partner agencies (GIZ, CIRAD, ICAC)

· Liaise and coordinate with project partners to set up and arrange/organize meetings, workshops, training programmes and field demonstrations.

· Conduct workshops and training programmes on seed health, biochar, nano-biopesticides, climate-resilient agronomic technologies, regenerative agricultural practices, IPM and sustainable technologies for high yields.

· Coordinate special training sessions for extension workers on ‘farmer-participatory demos/trials and monitoring of performance’.

· Ensure that the extension workers conduct training programmes to farmers and farmers conduct farmer field schools.

· Conduct workshops to assess the impact of the project on biodiversity, soil carbon, yields and net margins.

 

To apply for this position, please send a cover letter and resume/CV to mike@icac.org.