Trainees-Integrated Genotyping Service and Support (IGSS)

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) seeks to recruit fifteen (15) highly motivated and capable trainees who are interested in delivering genome profiling and information management services for crop and animal improvement programs in Africa. This is a 5 year project, with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) to establish an Integrated Genotyping Service and Support (IGSS) to support African breeding programs with genome profiling and Information Technologies. The project is based at the Biosciences Eastern and Central Africa-International Livestock Research Institute (BecA-ILRI) Hub, Nairobi, in partnership with a private sector company, Diversity Arrays Technology Pty Ltd (DArT PL), Australia.

ILRI works with partners worldwide to enhance the roles that livestock play in food security and poverty alleviation, principally in Africa and Asia. The outcomes of these research partnerships help people in developing countries keep their farm animals’ alive and productive, increase and sustain their livestock and farm productivity, find profitable markets for their animal products, and reduce the risk of livestock-related diseases. http://www.ilri.org

ILRI is a not-for-profit institution with a staff of about 700 and in 2015, an operating budget of about USD83 million. A member of the CGIAR Consortium working for a food-secure future, ILRI has its headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya, a principal campus in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and offices in other countries in East, West and Southern Africa and in South, Southeast and East Asia. 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, Bioinformatics (http://hpc.ilri.cgiar.org/), and genomics laboratories and equipment (e.g. Illumina MiSeq, 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 one of the major goals 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/

Requirements

• Recent BSc or Masters graduates in Bio-technology, Bio-Chemistry, Mathematics/Statistics, Computer science and related fields.
• Experience in more than one of the above mentioned fields or with demonstrable capacity to develop the necessary skill will be an added value.
• For laboratory staff applicants, training in basic DNA laboratory techniques, high level of computer literacy, high level of attention to detail, team work orientation and good analytical skills will be an added advantage.
• Applicants with IT skills with experience in, general Linux System administration skills, Database administration on Linux and Apache web server administration. Experience with SUSE version 11.1 and above, MYSQL database administration and Postgres administration, Database schema and schema administration skills. Proficiency in at least one programming language, preferably Perl/Python, and in shell scripting would be desirable.
• Additionally, knowledge of statistical methods, R, ASP, PHP, HTML, CSS, Visual Basic and Java script is an added advantage.
• Technically competent biologists comfortable with operating complex lab equipment
• High level of computer literacy with strong IT and data analytical skills and able to establish and operate computer systems (software and hardware) with strong interests in laboratory operations.
• Applicants with leadership potential, business sensibility/entrepreneurship and enthusiasm for training others will have an added advantage. Strong interests in agriculture and genetic improvement in particular is an essential criterion.

Successful applicants will be trained for approximately 6 months in DArT PL’s headquarters in Canberra, Australia. Each candidate will have his/her “mini-project” to execute, but at a later stage of the training will also be involved in regular operations of DArT PL. At the end of the training period, a certificate will be awarded to all candidates; however, only seven (7) candidates with the best credentials will be employed as Nationally Recruited Staff (NRS) to operate the IGSS platform in Nairobi.

How to apply: Applicants should send a cover letter and CV explaining their interest in the position, what they can bring to the role 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 Director, People and Organizational Development through our recruitment portal: http://ilri.simplicant.com/ before 5 February 2015. The position title and reference number: TR/IGSS/ BECA /01/15 should be clearly marked on the subject line of the online application.