Field Assistants- Kiboko – CIMMYT at World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)

Duties and responsibilities

Seed processing, packaging and storage.

• Support field technicians at Kiboko with timely seed processing eg. Shelling, drying, weighing and packaging of seed for storage
• Support in timely seed preparation for nurseries and trials

Planting and management of trials and nurseries.

• Support in planting nurseries, optimal and biotic and abiotic stress (managed low N, managed drought, artificial FAW infested) trials
• Support in carrying out proper agronomic practices such as timely weeding, fertilizer application, pest control etc. on nurseries and trials planted at Kiboko station.
• Ensure application of control measures for FAW in consultation with the research technician.
• Ensure irrigation for trials and nurseries planted at Kiboko are applied as required and appropriate. 
• Ensure rouging off types in nurseries are carried out as required.

Data collection, pollination and harvesting.

• Support data collection for trials and nurseries in a timely manner using hand-held electronic devices. 
• Support in pollination of crossing and selfing nurseries as per the instruction of the technician
• Support in harvesting of trials and nurseries and collection of harvest time data for both trials and nurseries. 

Supervision of casual labor.

• Lead team of casual laborers in field operations (seed processing, packing, storage, pollination, harvesting etc.) for increased efficiency and accountability.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or diploma in agriculture.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English and Kiswahili
• At least three (3) years of practical experience in an agricultural research setting, with demonstrated expertise in planting trials and nurseries, data collection using electronic devices, pollination in crossing and seed increase nurseries, management of trials and nurseries, and seed preparation for trials and nurseries.