Bioinformatics Research Group Leader

 (closing 30 September 2012)

Posted: 27 Aug 2012 12:39 AM PDT

Vacancy Number: BRGL/BIOTECH/08/12
Department: Biotechnology
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Duration: 3 years with the possibility of renewal

Base salary from USD 75,000 per annum plus benefits. Total salary & benefits package from circa USD 105, 000 (tax free*)
The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) works at the crossroads of livestock and poverty, bringing high-quality livestock science, communications and capacity building to bear on poverty reduction and sustainable development. ILRI is one of 15 centres supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). ILRI has campuses in Kenya (headquarters) and Ethiopia, with other offices located in other regions of Africa (Mali, Mozambique, and Nigeria) as well as in South Asia (India, Sri Lanka), Southeast Asia (Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam) and East Asia (China).
ILRI will be working on a number of CGIAR Research Programs (CRP) that bring together CGIAR centers and partners from the research, development and private sector communities around the world.
ILRI seeks to recruit a senior computational biologist, to lead the bioinformatics team. This is an international appointment reporting to the Director, Biotechnology.  The position holder requires an outstanding record of internationally competitive research accomplishments in bioinformatics. The role will require management of a group of bioinformaticians and systems specialists, liaison with a broader group of scientists and management of collaborations with multi-disciplinary groups on challenges relating to capturing, managing, analyzing and interpreting large sets of biological data.
The job scope covers research in many different aspects of crop and livestock biology.
Current topics include next generation sequence analysis, genotyping, comparative and functional genomics, RNA sequence analysis and metagenomics in a range of livestock, crop, vector and pathogen species.
Responsibilities

• Liaise with senior project and programme managers to coordinate and manage bioinformatics requirements and opportunities;
• Contribute to existing research projects and build independent research activities in bioinformatics related to agricultural research;
• Be responsible for ensuring that ILRI’s human and hardware capability to perform cutting-edge bioinformatics is maintained;
• Be an inspiring and effective leader of a diverse and enthusiastic group;
• Develop and implement a vision of bioinformatics research and support at ILRI;
• Ensure integration of bioinformatics into the research and research planning process at ILRI;
• Proactively establish and build strong relations with a range of local, regional and international partner institutes based on mutual trust and support;
• Be responsible for the quality of scientific research and project management within the bioinformatics team.

Requirements

• PhD in Bioinformatics or in Biological Sciences research driven by computational analyses.
• At least 5 years post PhD experience.

Essential skills

• Familiarity with bioinformatics, particularly the use and analysis of high throughput sequencing data generated by a range of platforms;.
• Experience in a supervisory role;
• Familiarity with Linux & Unix platforms and computational pipelines;
• Experience with high performance clusters;
• Experience in scripting and programming;
• Experience in managing and using relational databases;
• Excellent track record in scientific publications and fund raising;
• Demonstrated excellence as a manager of a team of professionals in a research organization;
• Proven success in initiating and managing multi stakeholder and international research projects;
• Excellent written and spoken English;
• Experience of management of capacity building activities.

Post location: The position is based at ILRI’s Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.
Position level: The position is Scientist/Research Level 3 dependent on qualifications and experience. Candidates with experience and qualifications below those indicated may be considered at Scientist/Research Level 2.
Duration: 3 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: – Pensions Medical insurance – Life insurance and allowances for: – Education – Housing – Security – Disturbance – Relocation  – Home leave; 15% pension contribution. Annual holiday entitlement of 30 days + 11 public holidays. * Benefits are tax free subject to compliance with tax regulations of country of citizenship.
Applicants should send a cover letter and CV (2 pgs. max) explaining their interest in the position, what they can bring to the job and the names and addresses (including telephone and email) of three referees who are knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience to the Human Resources Director by registering at this link: http://www.myjobsinkenya.com/ilri_jobs  before 30 September 2012. The position title and reference number: BRGL/BIOTECH/08/12 should be clearly marked on the subject line of the online application.