Scientific Officer - Gender Research (Grain Legumes and Dryland Cereals)

VACANCY: SCIENTIFC OFFICER – GENDER RESEARCH (Grain Legumes and Dryland Cereals) - 
ICRISAT 

About the organization. 

ICRISAT is a non-profit, apolitical, international organization for science-based agricultural research for 
development. Established in 1972, it is one of the 15 Centres of the Consultative Group for International 
Agricultural Research (CGIAR), and supported by more than 48 governments, foundations, and development banks. ICRISAT with its Headquarters located in India has regional centres and research teams in Asia and  Sub- Saharan Africa. In the Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA), ICRISAT has country programs in Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique and Ethiopia. For further details please visit our website www.icrisat.org. ICRISAT Regional Office for Eastern and Southern Africa (ESA) is located in Nairobi, Kenya and is currently seeking a qualified candidate to fill the locally recruited position of a Scientific Officer - Gender Research (Grain  Legumes and Dryland Cereals). 

Background 

CGIAR Research Programs (CRPs): It has been recognized for more than a decade that the ever more complex issues facing agricultural research for development require an innovative approach to research. No single research institution working alone can address the critically important issues of global climate change, agriculture, and food security and rural poverty. Therefore, the CGIAR Research Programs (CRPs) tackle the cross-cutting issues in agricultural development across the globe by aligning the research of the CGIAR Centres and their partners into efficient, coherent, multidisciplinary programs. 

CRP on Grain Legumes: The CRP on Grain Legumes is a global alliance for research on grain legumes; the 
partners in this include four CGIAR Centres (ICRISAT as Lead Centre, CIAT, ICARDA and IITA), and six 
others who have complementary grain legume research-for-development (R4D) efforts (EIAR, Embrapa, 
GDAR, Generation Challenge Program, ICAR and the USAID-supported legume CRSPs). 

CRP on Dryland Cereals: The CRP on Dryland Cereals is designed to achieve sustainable, farm-level 
productivity increases of the major dryland cereal crops now grown in some of the world’s harshest 
environments. This CRP comprises a unique international effort to combine the experience and resources of two CGIAR Centres (ICRSAT as the lead Centre and, ICARDA) with those of France, India, Iran, the USA and many other partners to better coordinate and expedite research-for-development (R4D) initiatives related to four key dryland cereal crops – barley, finger millet, pearl millet and sorghum. 

Gender research in the CRPs: Strategic gender research outputs will inform other areas of research of the 
gender-related constraints and opportunities faced by women along the value chain including technology 
access and adoption; the development of strategies to address gender inequalities in access to and control over resources and services; and identification of aspects of technology design needed for research be responsive to gender differences in adoption and the distribution of benefits from new legume technology 

About the Position 

The Scientific Officer- Gender Research (Grain Legumes and Dryland Cereals) will be based at the ESA 
Regional Office in Nairobi, Kenya. S/He will report to the Research Program Director; Markets, Institutions and Policies. The incumbent will undertake coordination of ongoing project activities in the research programs, participate in conducting research on gender issues in multi-disciplinary and participatory teams of Scientists. 

Duties and responsibilities 

 Assist in developing research questions and survey instruments for gender research in the Grain 
Legumes and Dryland Cereals Research Programs. 
 Participate in field research to obtain relevant data and information on gender-related issues in grain 
legume and dryland cereal production systems using questionnaires and gender sensitive Participatory 
Rural Appraisals (PRAs). 
 Produce research reports, publications and other communications. 
 Prepare and make presentations on summaries of recent developments in the programs at forums and 
other meetings 
 Assist in project coordination and technical assistance to the Research Programs including proposal 
development, planning and budgeting. 
 Contribute to the fulfilment, in a timely and accurate fashion, of the various mandatory reporting 
requirements for the ongoing projects in the research program. 
 Any other related duties as assigned by the supervisor. 

Requirements 

 MS, MPhil or Master in Social Sciences (including Sociology, Anthropology, Political Science), 
Agricultural Economics or Agriculture Development. 
 Academic study on gender and development (whether as a substantive focus of another discipline or 
course work that complemented a degree. 
 Knowledge and research experience in issues of agriculture, livelihoods or gender 
 Experience: At least 3 years of experience in fieldwork and good understanding of gender issues and 
dimensions in agriculture, or natural resource management or rural development. Candidates with less 
experience but proven ability to deliver may be considered 
 Good knowledge of data management methods and ability to use spreadsheets (eg. Excel, MS Access). 
 Good proficiency in spoken and written English. 
 Knowledge of local language(s), Swahili, will be an added advantage. 
 Ability to work independently with strong sense of initiative, discipline and self motivation. 
 Preferably having experience of working in multi-cultural and interdisciplinary teams. 
 Experience in an NGO or international organization environment will be an added advantage 
 Must be a Kenyan citizen. 


Terms of Offer 

The World Agroforestry Centre is an equal opportunity employer and offers a collegial and gender-sensitive working environment. We believe that staff diversity promotes excellence and strongly encourage applications from qualified women. This position is on local terms and will be for an initial period of three (3) years, renewable subject to six (6) months’ probation period, assessment of performance, continued relevance of the position and availability of resources. 

 (Grain Legumes and Dryland Cereals)

Go to http://worldagroforestry.org/working-for-icraf/vacancies 

Applications will be considered until 18th October 2013. Please note that only short-listed applicants meeting the above requirements will be contacted. 

We invite you to learn more about ICRAF and ICRISAT by accessing our web sites: 
www.worldagroforestry.org and www.icrisat.org .