This is a remote position.

AI Consultant

The Organization

The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives. The Alliance solutions address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation (https://alliancebioversityciat.org/ )

With novel partnerships, the Alliance generates evidence and mainstreams innovations to transform food systems and landscapes so that they sustain the planet, drive prosperity, and nourish people.

The Alliance is a member of the CGIAR Consortium (www.cgiar.org) a global research partnership for a food-secure future.

Position Summary

The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT is seeking to recruit an AI/ML Consultant. The consultant will be instrumental in the development and application of AI/ML techniques to complex, real-world challenges impacting smallholder farmers. They will be responsible for communicating effectively with various stakeholders, including agronomy, climate, policy, breeding, and animal science experts, and will be able to operate both independently and within a collaborative team setting.

Responsibilities

• Support the design, development, and testing of AI-powered tools to aid farmers’ decision-making and climate change adaptation.
• Ensure the application of FAIR and CARE principles in the development of AI-powered tools.
• Collaborate with domain experts to integrate their knowledge into AI tool development and ensure validation of LLM-generated content.
• Apply AI to translate complex weather data into easily comprehensible advisories for smallholder farmers.
• Collaborate with local partners to develop and implement an AI-driven financial advisory tool tailored to the African market.
• Regularly evaluate and improve the performance of AI tools based on defined metrics and user feedback.
• Effectively communicate project progress, challenges, and results to diverse stakeholders.
• Contribute to the development of knowledge management products in the AI domain.

Requirements

• A PhD or Master’s in computer science, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Natural Language Processing, or a related field is required.
• A proven track record in developing and applying AI/ML techniques to real-world challenges, preferably faced by smallholder farmers, is required.
• Strong programming skills in Python, R, or other similar languages, with a focus on AI/ML, NLP model development and implementation.
• Familiarity with the agronomic and economic challenges faced by smallholder farmers in Africa will be considered a strong advantage.
• Previous experience or understanding of financial products and advisories in the context of African smallholder farmers will be beneficial.
• Willingness to travel occasionally, as the role might require visiting different project sites and stakeholders across Africa.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, along with the ability to effectively collaborate across multidisciplinary teams, and to learn and adapt as appropriate.
• Ability to work independently and demonstrate a high degree of personal initiative and commitment.

Terms of Engagement
This is an internationally recruited consultancy. The consultancy contract will be for a maximum of a 6-month period. The consultant will be home-based.

Applications
Applicants are invited to visit  https://www.bioversityinternational.org/jobs/ to get full details of the position and to submit their applications. Applications MUST include AI CONSULTANT as the position applied for. Application and CV should be saved as one document using the candidate’s last name, first name for ease of sorting.

Note: The Alliance does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing or training). The Alliance also does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.

Applications closing date:2^nd August 2023

Please note that email applications will not be considered.

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.