Post-Doctoral Fellow, Future Scenarios for Livestock Systems at International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)

The position:

Under the 2016 Paris Agreement, national governments in East Africa have developed Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), targets for climate change mitigation and adaptation actions. Agriculture is a priority sector in all of these countries, with livestock being an important sub-sector due to its importance in livelihoods, farming systems and nutritional security. At the same time, livestock are responsible for the vast majority of GHG emissions within the agricultural sector, making them a priority for achieving mitigation targets.

The identification and implementation of locally-effective adaptation and mitigation practices under high levels of uncertainty present major challenges. The position will be in the Program on Climate Smart Livestock (PCSL), which falls under the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS).

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead research to identify the key future drivers influencing livestock systems in the three focus countries, through participatory processes involving key stakeholders, country leadership, and partner institutions, and explore alternative livestock development pathways that align with national objectives
• Use mixed qualitative / quantitative methods to add detail to the scenario narratives, so that the effects of alternative livestock development pathways on local contexts can be analysed with respect to water and feed resources, gender issues, and food security and nutritional outcomes
• Thoroughly document the research and its results, and contribute to the development of on-line scenario training materials that can be used by different groups of stakeholders
• Communicate findings to stakeholders (ministry staff, livestock extension officers, donors).
• Write scientific papers and prepare conference presentations and other communication products on the key results
• Coordinate PCSL project activities in Ethiopia, including supervision of PhD and MSc students

Requirements:

• PhD in an appropriate discipline such as systems modelling, environmental sciences or geography, with a working knowledge of agricultural or livestock science
• Some knowledge of and experience with scenarios science, along with climate change adaptation and mitigation
• Strong practical and facilitation skills, focusing on participatory processes and co-production of knowledge.
• Experience in research for development in Africa, especially East Africa, would be a significant advantage
• 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 (such as biogeochemistry, agricultural sciences, environmental sciences, veterinary medicine) in an interdisciplinary and multicultural team.

Post location: The position will be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

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.