Research Officer - Livestock Genetics at International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)

The position will take the lead in planning, co-ordination and implementation of research activities aimed at increasing livestock productivity within low- and middle-income countries.  Specific initial projects include on-station trials of dairy cattle performance in Kenya; on-farm participatory research relating to breed improvement and artificial insemination of pigs and beef-cattle in East Africa and Vietnam.   

Key Responsibilities

• Defining research questions and approaches
• Leading the development of participatory research (survey) tools than are quantitative, and input into those that are qualitative
• Leading the development of data collection tools (usually ODK based, but also API)
• Leading survey implementation / data collection, including training and supervision of field-staff, and ensurance of data quality
• Data management and undertaking advanced data analysis using varied statistical approaches, as well as synthesis and reporting
• Development of recommendations from evidence bases / findings
• Lead the writing of project reports, briefs, journals papers and other outputs
• Lead development of capacity building material suitable for different audiences and communication means
• Capacity development of internal and external stakeholders
• Supervision of field staff, students, and consultants
• Partnership establishment and maintenance, both internally and externally
• Facilitating project implementation through ensuring research compliance, work-planning, procurement, and management of financial and physical resources
• Development of new ideas, methodological approaches, tools, practices and procedures,  for use within projects
• Making recommendations on new or improved procedures or policies to facilitate research

Requirements

• MSc in a topic related to livestock production, animal breeding, agricultural and / or rural development, agricultural development economics, agricultural value chains, or similar.
• At-least 5 years relevant work experience resulting in demonstration of the skills listed below
• Good general knowledge of livestock production systems in developing countries, and R4D approaches to strengthen these.  Knowledge of pig and beef cattle production systems in developing countries an advantage, particularly knowledge related to breeding and artificial insemination.
• Demonstrated experience in analysis of data relevant to quantifying livestock production (yield) or productivity, and / or of economics related to livestock systems in developing countries.
• Demonstrated experience in leading the design and implementation of participatory surveys, with livestock keepers and other livestock value chain actors, that are quantitative, preference also for qualitative.
• Demonstrated experience in leading the analysis, synthesis and reporting of data collected from quantitative participatory surveys or other livestock related experiments, preference also for qualitative.
• Demonstrated strong statistical analysis skills, including the use R or other similar statistical analysis software.
• Preferred experience in developing (coding) tools for data-capture, such as in ODK.
• Demonstrated ability to produce high-quality written material in English, such as project reports, briefs, and journal paper, targeting differences audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to make own decisions within the project scope.
• Demonstrated ability to work both independently and within a team.
• Strong problem-solving ability, including ability to consider multiple variable and potential consequences of different actions.
• Excellent communication skills with internal and external stakeholders, including ability to communicate specialist knowledge.
• Ability to establish, and maintain, relationships with key stakeholders, both internal and external.