Job Openings at International Maize and Wheat Improvement

Job Description/Requirements

The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, known by its Spanish acronym, CIMMYT®, is a not-for-profit agricultural research for development organization with partners in over 100 countries. Please refer to our website for more information: www.cimmyt.org

CIMMYT is seeking an innovative scientist, for the position of Maize Breeder – Easter Africa to work in the Global Maize Program.

The position will be based in CIMMYT’s campus in Nairobi Kenya. The position may begin remotely from your home base or current location if organizational approval for the relocation to Kenya is delayed due to COVID 19.

• Specific duties:
  Effectively drive CIMMYT maize product delivery for the breeding pipelines in eastern Africa.
• Through strong collaboration with the teams involved in line development, molecular breeding, phenotyping, and seed systems, ensure generation of high-quality data, statistical analysis and summary of results for stage-gate advancement.
• Enhance operational efficiency by regular review of the regional on-station trial data.
• Convene the Eastern Africa Maize Product Advancement Meetings with active and efficient engagement of internal and external stakeholders
• Work in close collaboration with the regional breeding and GIS team to optimize and align trial locations with product pipeline testing requirements.
• Effectively fulfill agreed-upon QA/QC and seed quality targets for Stage 4 hand-off to the seed systems team in eastern Africa.
• Strongly contribute to the goal of increasing genetic gains in CIMMYT’s eastern Africa maize breeding pipelines, including formulation, testing and identification of impactful hybrids.
• Provide leadership to a team of research technicians and drive ownership and accountability amongst the team members.
• Contribute effectively to the regional collaborative maize breeding network, and capacity building of partner institutions in eastern Africa.
• Ensure proper utilization of financial and human resources, as assigned by the program management.
• Contribute to the visibility of CIMMYT’s research, partnerships, and impacts, including publication of high-quality journal articles.
• Perform additional/other duties, as may be assigned by the supervisor and Program Director.

Required academic qualifications, skills and attitudes:

• Strong interest in applied maize breeding.
• A recent PhD degree in breeding or genetics, preferably with Maize or other cereals.
• Experience with genetics, modern breeding methods (e.g. genomic selection, quantitative genetics theory).
• Statistical skills, knowledge of electronic data collection, databases, data management and interpretation.
• An ability to communicate and collaborate effectively and build capacity.
• Demonstrated capacity to publish research findings in reputable peer-reviewed journals.
• Desire and ability to work collaboratively and respectfully and inclusively in a diverse, multicultural, multidisciplinary work environment.
• Significant amount of national and international travel will be required
• The selected candidate must exhibit the following competencies: Critical and Creative Thinking, Problem Solving and decision making, Communication and Teamwork.

The position is for an initial fixed-term for three (3) years, after which further employment is subject to performance and the continued availability of funds. CIMMYT’s internationally competitive salary and benefits include housing allowance, car, comprehensive health and life insurance, assistance for children’s education, paid vacation, annual airfare, contribution to a retirement plan, and generous assistance with relocation shipment.

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The successful candidate will have a strong background and experience in quantitative genetics with a deep understanding of how to manipulate plant breeding schemes by using the latest technologies. The successful candidate will work with EiB members worldwide – in a wide range of regions and crops – in order to optimize breeding schemes according to elements of the breeder’s equation in order to achieve the highest possible rate of genetic gain per dollar invested and per unit of time using simulation technologies, optimization and applied quantitative genetics experience, among other means.

By providing one-on-one consultation, workshops and online communication via the platform’s purpose built ‘toolbox,’ the successful candidate will contribute to raising standards of breeding operations at CGIAR and NARS breeding programs in line with targets set by EiB.

The location of this position will be at the CIMMYT office in Nairobi, Kenya. The position may begin remotely from your home base or current location if organizational approval for the relocation to Kenya is delayed due to COVID 19.

Specific duties:

• Engaging with member breeding teams to create awareness of new tools and approaches for optimizing breeding pipelines.
• Working with breeders to design and evaluate new and current breeding schemes through simulation, retrospective analysis and pilot testing.
• Developing strategy in collaboration with breeders and developing plans to optimize the use of new breeding tools and methodologies.
• Mentoring and consulting with the partner breeding community.
• Contribute to the development of a training strategy and materials for implementation.
• Leading and contributing to both virtual and hands-on training and mentorship activities targeted at member breeding teams in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
• Providing support to internal and external reviews and evaluations.
• Contributing to publications derived from the breeding optimization project.

Required academic qualifications, skills, and attitudes:

• PhD in plant breeding, quantitative genetics, biometrics or related fields with a minimum of 2 years of relevant experience. Experience in private industry is a plus but not required.
• In-depth understanding of practical breeding applications and logistical constraints that will be relevant to breeding programs targeting the developing world (i.e. CGIAR centers, national systems and private sector organizations).
• Expertise in statistical analysis software (R, mixed modeling, perhaps machine learning, etc.) and a creative and innovative mindset.
• A good understanding of quantitative genetics and underlying mathematical theory.
• Good reporting and communication skills in English (working language).
• The selected candidate must exhibit the following competencies: Communication, Problem Solving and Decision Making, Critical Thinking and Teamwork.

The position is for an initial fixed-term for three (3) years, after which further employment is subject to performance and the continued availability of funds. CIMMYT’s internationally competitive salary and benefits include housing allowance, car, comprehensive health and life insurance, assistance for children’s education, paid vacation, annual airfare, contribution to a retirement plan, and generous assistance with relocation shipment.