Assistant Research Associate

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

Position Title: Assistant Research Associate

Duty Station: Surkhet

Reference No: N22171

Project: Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia in Nepal (CSISA-NP)

Terms of Reference

Key activities of this position include:

• Coordinate and collaborate with the project’s implementing partners to ensure timely delivery of activities, tracking of results and reporting as per the USAID’s requirement.  
• Coordinate with other USAID-funded programs, other donor-funded programs and local governments and provincial governments for synergy and sustainability. 
• Ensure data management and reporting is in accordance with the project and CIMMYT norms.
• Manage and supervise staff and report their performance to the project management.
• Ensure excellent management of the project’s hub office in accordance with CIMMYT’s norms. 
• Undertaking other CIMMYT-related tasks as needed.

Others:

• Implementing and maintaining adaptive research trials and farmers’ participatory trials on seed, agronomic management, and farm mechanization.
• Developing enduring training material, and conducting in-field demonstrations, field days, and farmer trainings on seed, best management, mechanization and related technology issues
• Assisting in catalyzing and supporting sustainable partnerships among multiple public and private sector entities in the seed, management and mechanization sectors, engaging and interacting regularly with potential partners throughout the appropriate value chains
• Assist in developing questionnaire and conducting field surveys as needed
• Coordinate and assist in efforts to raise awareness about project activities, products, and outcomes among stakeholders, policy makers, and the general public, project-related communications and outputs, including news and updates, photos and videos

Required academic qualifications, skills and attitudes:

• Academic requirements:
  • Masters’ degree in biological sciences, agronomy, agricultural economics, or relevant social sciences of agriculturally related discipline. 
• Specific experience/skills:
  • Experience working in rural Nepal
  • Systems Agronomy, field experiments, and livestock 
  • Advanced knowledge of relevant research protocols and policies of the function.
  • Data analysis
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Preferred qualifications / skills:
  • At least 5 years of professional work experience in agricultural research projects.
  • Medium to advanced managerial competence. 
  • Requires conceptual knowledge of theories, practices, and procedures within agricultural and farming systems research science.
  • Demonstrated ability to write, publish, and disseminate technical reports.
  • Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional, and multi-cultural environment.
• Complexity of thinking needed: Work is complex and technical in scope. 
  • Regularly requires a combination of mental abilities such as probing, analysis, careful judgment, flexible and original thinking, and creativity.
  • Ability to identify and finalize solutions to field problems (seeds, soil and water management, integrated pest management, farm machinery, nutrient management, post-harvest operations). 
• Interpersonal skills:
  • Frequent contact with people other than immediate colleagues and with external entities.
  • Ability to communicate and relate effectively, internally, and externally is important; the purpose is to share information, and secure the cooperation and commitment of individuals, large project teams, or external institutions.
  • In addition to effective communication, the jobholder must motivate and provide leadership.
• Information Technology skills:
  • Proficiency to use standard software at an advanced level; may include some use of database or research applications.
  • Demonstrated experience with data visualization tools.

Physical Demand & Work environment:

• This position may require sitting for long periods of time and/or physical fieldwork under challenging conditions. 
• Travel of up to 50% time is also anticipated

Candidates must go through the link below and submit the application with detail information’s no later than October 5th, 2022.

https://cimmytrecruitment.wufoo.com/forms/n22171_assistant-research-associate/