ICRISAT seeks applications for an Associate Scientist-Legume Improvement to strengthen the ability of The World Vegetable Center (WorldVeg) to the capacity of its legume breeding research to develop multiple disease resistant and stress tolerant legume lines. The position will be based at Worldveg South and Central Asia Regional Office located in ICRISAT, Patancheru, Hyderabad.

ICRISAT is a non-profit, non-political organization that conducts agricultural research for development in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa with a wide array of partners throughout the world. Covering 6.5 million square kilometers of land in 55 countries, the semi- arid or dryland tropics has over 2 billion people and 644 million of these are the poorest of the poor. ICRISAT and its partners help empower these disadvantaged populations to overcome poverty, hunger and a degraded environment through better agricultural production systems.

ICRISAT is headquartered at Patancheru near Hyderabad, India, with two regional hubs and eight country offices in sub-Saharan Africa. ICRISAT envisions a prosperous, food-secure and resilient dryland tropics. Its mission is to reduce poverty, hunger, malnutrition and environmental degradation in the dryland tropics. ICRISAT conducts research on its mandate crops of chickpea, pigeonpea, groundnut, sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet in the arid and semi-arid tropics. The Institute focuses its work on the drylands and in protecting the environment. Tropical dryland areas are usually seen as resource-poor and perennially beset by shocks such as drought, thereby trapping dryland communities in poverty and hunger and making them dependent on external aid. Please visit – www.icrisat.org

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Plan and conduct laboratory, greenhouse and field screening activities.
• Contribute towards marker-assisted selection in legume crops.
• Liaise with project partners on a regular basis regarding sharing of germplasm, field-trials, data and reports.
• Contribute to proposal development and publication of research outcomes.
• Be aware of new developments in legume breeding.
• Supervise scientific officers and technicians.
• Enhance the capacity of national partners through training courses and on-site visits.
• Assist in administrative or other tasks as required by the supervisor.

Requirement:

The ideal candidate will have most, if not all, of the following skills, knowledge, experience, and personal

Characteristics:

• A recent PhD degree in plant breeding, molecular genetics or a related field or a related discipline with a strong focus on applied research.
• At least 2 years of postdoctoral experience.
• Sound knowledge of scientific writing, genetics, statistics and experimental design.
• Experience in Legume biology is desirable.
• Willingness to work both in the field and the laboratory is essential.
• Excellent communication with fluency in written and spoken English and ability to work in a multi-cultural environment.
• Skills in qualitative research methods will be an advantage.
• Strong communication skills in spoken and written English. Proficiency in one or more Indian languages will be an advantage.
• Able to work with multidisciplinary teams in a multicultural and multinational environment.

The Reward: This is a Nationally Recruited Staff (NRS) position with competitive pay and benefits. The initial appointment is for Twenty Four months renewable, depending on the incumbent’s performance and funding availability.

The candidate we hire will embody WorldVeg?s Five Core Values:

1. Dedication to Innovation and Knowledge Sharing:

Supports the conduct of world-class science, respects ethical standards, and is committed to sharing results in a transparent manner.

2. Commitment to Impact:

Aspires to achieve positive, tangible, and lasting impact contributing to Sustainable Development Goals.

3. Commitment to Partnerships:

Believes in the value of partnerships to advance research for development.

4. Respect for People:

Respect the diversity of gender, culture, ethnic origin, religion, age, beliefs, and views.

5. Respect for the Environment:

Strives to minimize its environmental impact and to introduce greener technology and practices.

General:

This is a contractual role for a period of 24 months.

How to apply:

Applicants should apply on or before 12 February 2024, with their latest Resume, and the names and contact information of three references that are knowledgeable about their professional qualifications and work experience. All applications will be acknowledged; however only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

ICRISAT is an equal opportunity employer