Research Assistant

Vacancy Number: RA-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 a Research assistant to provide sequencing, genotyping and proteomics services.

Responsibilities:

• Provide expert and specialized technical assistance in sequencing, genotyping and proteomics including participation in experimental design, execution and reporting.
• Introducing, adapting, testing and implementing novel methodologies not previously used in the Unit in an efficient and cost effective manner.
• Provide technical leadership and trouble-shooting in complex manipulations in genotyping, sequencing and proteomics.
• Ensure that the methodologies and standard operating procedures used in the unit conform to national and international health & safety standards. Maintain laboratory chemical usage records and good laboratory practices.
• Sourcing and procurement of laboratory supplies and equipment. Planning and administration of Unit resources and budgets to ensure that services are rendered on a cost recovery basis.
• Providing prospective clients and visiting scientists with cost estimates and detailed information on how costs are derived for services provided by the Unit.
• Liaison officer for the Unit to establish, enlighten, and inform both internal and external users and clients of the unit. Maintain working and operational relationships with internal and external clients by issuing reports.

Skills and Competencies:

• BSc degree in Biosciences or equivalent.. A masters degree will be an added advantage.
• 5 years relevant working experience
• Broad and most current knowledge on genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics are required to deal with activities for livestock, crops and microbial research.
• Basic understanding of bioinformatics, advanced trouble shooting skills, good organizational skills and documentation as well as communication skills are required.
• Demonstrated experience in modern experimental techniques such as sequencing, different marker technologies from DNA isolation to data scoring using Gene Mapper Software, preliminary data analyses using appropriate statistical software.
•  Hands on experience with manipulations of nucleic acids and proteins from livestock, plants and microbes, automated capillary sequencers as well as DNA/RNA extraction robotic as well as the use of modern equipment such as the 2-D gel electrophoresis system, RT-PCR system are required.
• Experience with plants biotechnology/crops sciences are also be required.

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 2C, with a starting gross salary of KES 116,417 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: RA-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