The Ugandan Jobline

Job Title:    Plant Breeder, Sweet Potato

Organization:  International Potato Center (CIP)

Duty Station:  Kampala,
Uganda

About US:

CIP, a global CGIAR
research center, works with partners to improve diets and incomes of poor
people in Africa, Asia and Latin America through scientific research,
innovation, and capacity strengthening. Focusing on potato and sweetpotato as
the entry point, CIP’s programs seek to strengthen broader agri-food systems to
generate economic, social and nutritional benefits for farmers, enterprises and
consumers emphasizing the priorities of women and youth in particular. CIP’s
sweetpotato breeding efforts in Africa have enabled the most successful scaling
up of biofortified crops to date, namely OFSP, sweetpotato varieties enriched
with provitamin A. In addition, two CIP sweetpotato breeders, Dra. Maria
Andrade and Dr. Robert Mwanga, earned the coveted World Food Prize. This is an
exciting time to join CIP’s sweetpotato breeding team, as we are modernizing
our approaches with the overall objectives of implementing Genomic Prediction
approaches, increasing genetic gains and the turnover of varieties in
smallholder fields.

Job Summary:  The International Potato Center (CIP) is
seeking a dynamic and innovative Plant Breeder Associate Scientist to lead CIP
sweet potato breeding efforts in East Africa, with a main focus on Uganda. This
applied research position will be based at the Sweetpotato Support Platform for
East Africa (SSP-EA), located in Kampala, Uganda.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:  

·       
Lead implementation
of population improvement in East Africa, with a main focus on developing
hybrid sweetpotato cultivars, and jointly with molecular breeding scientists,
implement Genomic Selection in sweetpotato.

·       
Increase,
and document rates of genetic gains for key traits and, jointly with seed
scientists, turnover of varieties on smallholder farms.

·       
Develop
and/or update Product Profiles, Product Advancement Process and other
technologies developed through Excellence in Breeding.

·       
Assist
NARS breeders in sweetpotato modernization efforts.

·       
Supervise
the use of correct data collecting and data management procedures -contribute
to the improvement and development of standard operational procedures (SOP)

·       
Lead
breeding fund raising efforts in East Africa.

·       
Work
with other CIP and EiB scientists to incorporate market information into
breeding plans and prioritized traits.

·       
Document
scientific progress as papers in renowned scientific journals (Crop Science,
Theoretical & Applied Genetics, Field Crops Research).

·       
Guide graduate
students conducting research in sweetpotato breeding.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience:

·       
The
applicant must hold a PhD in Plant breeding, genetics, molecular breeding or
related field with at least 3-5 years’ experience in field research. On the
ground experience in Africa is desirable;

·       
Expertise
in quantitative genetics, advanced experimental design, database development
and data analysis, interpretation, and reporting;

·       
Aptitude
for teamwork, and excellent written and verbal communication skills in English;

·       
Familiarity
with breeding of clonally propagated crops is desirable, and experience with
sweetpotato will be an advantage;

·       
Experience
with gender approaches in plant breeding is desirable;

·       
Willing,
and able to travel within Uganda and East Africa

Benefits

·       
Internationally
competitive salary, paid in US dollars, and commensurate with experience.

·       
Comprehensive
international insurance coverage.

·       
Attractive
retirement plan.

·       
Three-year
term contract with the possibility of renewal.

·       
Work in
an equal and diverse workplace

How to Apply:

All candidates
should apply online at the link below.

Click Here -> Select Position

For more of the
latest jobs, please visit https://www.theugandanjobline.com or find us on our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/UgandanJobline

Related Jobs