Research Assistant – IITA

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 by 15 research centers that are members of the CGIAR Consortium in collaboration with hundreds of partner organizations. www.cgiar.org.

The position

This position will be based at the KARI-Katumani center. The Research Assistant will actively participate in the on-going set up of the mycotoxin research facility at KARI Katumani and participate in sensitizing farmers, extension agents and other stakeholders on aflatoxin management and particularly on bio control technology.

 Responsibilities

• Assist the aflasafe country coordinator in the general management of all laboratory procedures;
• Undertake timely and accurate analyses of all sample material for aflatoxigenic fungi and aflatoxin levels;
• Together with the country coordinator, set up field efficacy trials involving bio control technologies aimed at managing aflatoxin contamination of  maize and peanuts;
• Together with the country coordinator and KARI staff, actively participate in sensitizing farmers,  extension agents and other stakeholders on aflatoxin management and particularly on bio control technology;
• Together with the country coordinator and KARI staff, closely monitor growth stages of maize and peanuts by visiting and keeping close contact with all farmers involved in the field trials;
• Together with the country coordinator, ensure proper adherence to all regulatory and phytosanitary procedures when conducting field experiments as required by the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate (KEPHIS) and Pest Control Products Board (PCPB);
• Maintain a proper and up-to date data base for all data collected and ensure that laboratory and field protocols are up to date and regularly updated;
• Ensure proper handling and integrity of laboratory and field samples, including proper labeling, storage and disposal;
• Actively participate in the on-going set up of the mycotoxin research facility at KARI Katumani;
• Train staff from national partnering institutions and supervise students attached to the laboratory;
• Together with the country coordinator, compile and analyze data generated from experiments.

Requirements

• The candidate must possess an MSc degree in Microbiology, Plant Pathology, Crop Protection, Food Science or Biotechnology, with at least 2 years of relevant experience;
• Must be willing to reside  reasonably near the laboratory premise, in KARI Katumani;
• Must have a high degree of integrity and be able to work with a diverse range of stakeholders, including farmers, Agricultural Extension Officers and Scholars;
• Must be willing to travel extensively within the country;
• Must have practical experience in isolation and identification of aflatoxin producing fungi;
• Must have practical experience in extraction, detection and quantification of various mycotoxins;
• Must have experience in data analysis using various relevant softwares;
• Should have good technical writing skills;
• Should show evidence of publishing in peer-reviewed Journals.

Terms of Appointment

This is a Nationally Recruited Staff (NRS) position based at ILRI’s Nairobi campus.  The position is on a 2 year contract with the possibility of renewal, contingent upon individual performance and continued funding.

Job level and salary

This position is in job Grade 2B, with a minimum start salary of KES 83,606.00.   This is exclusive of other benefits provided by ILRI.

Location: The position will be based at the KARI, Katumani.

How to Apply

Applicants should send applications 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. Applications should be submitted online to the Human Resources Director at our recruitment portal:  http://ilri.simplicant.com on or before midnight Nairobi time on 11^th October, 2013. Only online applications will be considered, and only short listed candidates will be contacted. The position title and reference number REF: RA-IITA/09/13 should be clearly marked on the cover letter.

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/

To read more about IITA, visit: http://www.iita.org