Analytical Chemist

Vacancy Number: AC-BECA/03/13
Location: ILRI Nairobi campus
Duration: 2 year term renewable

General:

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) works to enhance the roles livestock play in pathways out of poverty in developing countries. 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 by15 research centres that are members of the CGIAR Consortium in collaboration with hundreds of partner organizations. http://www.cgiar.org .

ILRI also manages the Biosciences eastern and central Africa (BecA) Hub, the centre for excellence in modern plant and animal biology in Africa.  BecA is an initiative developed within the framework of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)/ African Union African Biosciences initiative. It consists of a Hub based on the ILRI campus in Nairobi, Kenya and a network of regional nodes and other affiliated laboratories and organizations throughout the region.  The BecA Hub facilities are world class, including a range of molecular, plant transformation, and genomics laboratories and equipment (e.g. 454 sequencing, Biosafety level 3 laboratory, plant growth facilities).  The Hub hosts and conducts research in crop, microbe and livestock areas where new developments in science offer promise to address previously intractable problems constraining Africa’s development.  Capacity building is a major goal of all activities. The scope covers agriculture and food security and their intersections with human health and nutrition, and the sustainable use of Africa’s natural resources.  Further information is available at http://hub.africabiosciences.org/

 Job purpose:

In hosting the BecA Hub on a shared research platform, ILRI seeks to recruit an Analytical chemist (senior research assistant) to provide support to the team working on Aflatoxin and the nutrition platform.

 Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct research and manage laboratory operations at a logistical level (including curation of sample collections and databases, development of standard operating procedures, managing consumables stocks and procurement, drafting risk assessments and obtaining permits) under supervision of research scientist;
• Manage sample collections for the overall project
• Establish and curate of databases containing overall project data
• Ensure that laboratory facilities are well-stocked and resourced, including ordering and managing laboratory supplies;
• Ensure observation of good laboratory practice including drafting risk assessments and surveillance of laboratory users’ activity;
• Maintain and operate laboratory equipment such as gas chromatographs, gas supplies, autosamplers, analytical balances, centrifuges, pH meters, spectrophotometers and flame photometers;
• Conduct research and conduct capacity building in analytical chemistry under the supervision of the aflatoxin project leader and in consultation with other team members, including toxin and nutritional analyses;
• Prepare chemical reagents and biological media according to formulae; assume responsibility for accuracy in the preparation and standardization of solutions, gases, samples;
• Carry out routine tasks such as sampling following strict protocols and contribute to the development of laboratory protocols for measuring chemicals in food and foodstuff (including ELISA, NIR, GC-MS, AAS, UV-VIS, HPLC, immunocapture-fluorometry); conduct data analysis and interpretation;
• Establish and conduct appropriate sampling procedures
• Conduct molecular analyses including genotyping
• Train and supervise partners using the aflatoxin and nutritional analysis platforms for their research under the BecA initiative (visiting scientists, students and other BecA-ILRI Hub users)
• Keep up to date with technical developments, especially those which can save time and improve reliability of measurements;
• Conduct induction and periodical training of lab members and other partners
• Undertake training, including possible overseas
• Demonstrate practical procedures during training courses

Skills and Competencies:

• MSc. degree in analytical chemistry, biochemistry or related field with 3 years of relevant experience;
• Experience in managing laboratory operations on a logistical level, including work with databases;
• Knowledge of laboratory analytical chemistry tests and analyses, including nutritional analysis.
• Knowledge of methods of preparing solutions, sample extracts and media
• Knowledge of MS Office including statistical analyses
• Knowledge of Quality Assurance Procedures.
• Ability to communicate effectively and to work in a multidisciplinary team.
• Ability to organize and coordinate technical activities of the work unit.
• Ability to determine work priorities and delegate effectively
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and within a team setting
• Ability to organize and carry out an assigned program.
• Ability to adapt new technology and methods to enhance program effectiveness
• Strong English language skills, both written and spoken

Experience in any of the following will be considered an asset:

• Experience working with mycotoxins and fungi.
• Knowledge developing databases.
• Experience managing staff and laboratory operations

 Terms of Appointment: This is a Nationally Recruited Staff (NRS) position, whose initial contract will be for a two (2) year term renewable subject to availability of funds and individual performance. Salary and benefits will be in line with those provided within ILRI’s NRS scheme.

Job level and salary: This position is job Grade 2D, with a starting gross salary of KES 154,917 per month. This is exclusive of other benefits provided by ILRI.

 Location: The position will be based at the ILRI campus in Nairobi, Kenya.

How to Apply
Applicants should send a cover letter and CV combined together 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 7 April 2013. The position title and reference number REF: AC-BECA/03/13 should be clearly marked on the subject line of the online application.

To find out more about ILRI and the BecA Hub, visit our websites at http://www.ilri.org andhttp://hub.africabiosciences.org

To find more about ILRI, visit our Website at http://www.ilri.org

To find out more about working at ILRI visit our website at http://www.ilri.org/ilricrowd/

ILRI is an equal opportunity employer.