ILRI vacancy: Post-Doctoral Fellow, Biogeochemical Modelling/Remote Sensing (closing date: 25 August 2018)
The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) seeks to recruit a post-doctoral research fellow with a background in biogeochemical process modelling and remote sensing to coordinate activities for (1) deriving baselines of GHG emissions from livestock systems and (2) identifying and testing of promising environmentally sound solutions to mitigate the environmental footprint of livestock systems. The research activities will be conducted in Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda.
ILRI works to improve food and nutritional security and reduce poverty in developing countries through research for efficient, safe and sustainable use of livestock. It is the only one of 15 CGIAR research centres dedicated entirely to animal agriculture research for the developing world. Co-hosted by Kenya and Ethiopia, it has regional or country offices and projects in East, South and Southeast Asia as well as Central, East, Southern and West Africa. www.ilri.org
The position;
Livestock systems and other agricultural production systems are known for their relatively large environmental footprint, particularly in Africa when set in relation to the currently low productivity. In order to achieve sustainable livestock development pathways in East Africa it is important to understand the impact of livestock on the environment (GHG emissions, soil health, water impacts) at various scales. The gained knowledge will help to prioritise good-bet livestock adaptation and mitigation options in relevant livestock systems, and help to build capacity in decision support, planning and investment at the national level in each country.
The position will contribute to the Program on Climate Smart Livestock (PCSL), which falls under the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). The position will be part of the Mazingira Centre staff (mazingira.ilri.org).
Responsibilities:
- Use newly collected data with biogeochemical process models such as APSIM and/or LandscapeDNDC (Validation) to allow projections of productivity and GHG emissions into the future;
- To scale localized knowledge (based on in-situ data collection) to broader geographic levels (e.g. regional);
- To test good-bet mitigation options using process models to identify best-bet options under current climate and future conditions
- Communicate the gained findings to stakeholders (ministries, livestock extension officers, farmers);
- To coordinate PCSL activities in the respective focus country (Kenya) – this includes the coordination of students and research assistants in the field as well as continuous communication with the main laboratory in Nairobi, Kenya;
- Write scientific papers and prepare conference/workshop presentations and other communication products describing results and their implications for productivity, GHG and nutrient management;
- Supervision of PhD and Msc students
Requirements:
- PhD in Environmental Sciences, Agricultural Sciences, Geography or other relevant discipline
- In-depth knowledge in working with biogeochemical process models (parameterization, application as well as code modification where necessary)
- In-depth knowledge on GIS and remote sensing data products
- Knowledge of agricultural production systems in developing and/or developed countries is an advantage
- Ability to handle large datasets, data processing and statistical software such as R, SPSS, Matlab or python
- The ability to supervise and train research assistants, students and provide necessary data quality control and assurance
- Excellent written and spoken English.
- The ability to effectively communicate in a multicultural context, present findings to diverse audiences, and support facilitation of multi-stakeholder workshops
- The ability to collaborate with scientists and technicians from other disciplines (anthropology, economics, agricultural sciences, environmental sciences, veterinary medicine etc.) in an interdisciplinary and multicultural team
Post location: The position will be based in Nairobi, Kenya.
Position level: Post-doctoral level.
Duration: 3 years with the possibility of renewal, contingent upon individual performance and continued funding.
Benefits: ILRI offers a competitive salary and benefits package which includes medical insurance, life insurance and allowances for: education, housing, home leave, and annual holiday entitlement of 30 days + public holidays.
Applications:
Applicants should send a cover letter and CV expressing 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/ on or before 25 August 2018. The position title and reference number: PD/BM/07/2018 should be clearly marked on the subject line of the online application.
We thank all applicants for their interest in working for ILRI. Due to the volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
ILRI does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing or training). ILRI also does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.
To find out 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/
