Reports to: Team Leader Rangeland Ecology & Forages
Location: Tunis, Tunisia

Main purpose of position

The Research Associate – Rangeland Landscape Ecology will work within the multidisciplinary Resilient Agrosilvopastoral Systems (RASP) team and contribute to the development and implementation of integrated rangeland-livestock projects in the mandated dry areas of ICARDA. The position is key for implementing the Center’s research on rangeland ecology and management to support poor and vulnerable smallholder farmers and agro-pastoralists.

About ICARDA

The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) is a treaty-based international non-profit research organization supported by CGIAR. ICARDA’s mission is to reduce poverty, enhance food, water, and nutritional security, as well as environmental health in the face of global challenges including climate change. We do this through innovative science, strategic partnerships, linking research to development and capacity development that take into account gender equality and the role of youth in transforming the dry areas. ICARDA works in partnership with governments, universities, civil society, national agricultural research organization, other CGIAR Research Centers, and the private sector. With its temporary Headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon, ICARDA operates in regional and country offices across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. For more information: www.icarda.org

All CGIAR Centers are currently engaged into a reform process (“One CGIAR’”) that will help ICARDA and CGIAR achieve better impact through more strategically integrated research, unified governance, an integrated structure, and new research modalities across participating Research Centers. This transformation is supported by CGIAR donors who have committed to increased funding as a result of these reforms.

Main responsibilities

• Support the design and conduct research, data collection, analysis, and reporting activities to support the development of sustainable rangeland management practices, innovative approaches, new tools, and technologies.
• Lead field data collection, including, vegetation and soil health, and ecosystem processes
• Use various tools and technologies, such as GIS (Geographic Information Systems), remote sensing, and ecological modeling, to analyze landscape patterns and ecological functions.
• Conduct baseline studies and contribute to the assessments of ecological impacts on sustainable integrated natural resources management.
• Carry out and supervise community-based rangeland rehabilitation and management activities.
• Contribute to institutional capacity development of national partners through training, supervision, and technical backstopping.
• Assist in publication of technical reports and journal articles.
• Represent ICARDA in national and regional fora.
• Perform other duties assigned by the senior rangeland scientist.

Requirements

Education, qualifications and experience

• Earned MSc degree in natural resource management or related field.
• At least 7 years of relevant experience.
• Proven experience in field-based research, rangeland monitoring and assessment.
• Proficiency in using modern technologies such as GIS/remote sensing, cloud based mobile data collection platform and ecological modelling.
• Knowledge of rangeland plant taxonomy is desirable.
• Knowledge of, and experience in, participatory and community-based approaches to research-for-development.
• Capacity to plan, design and implement research and demonstration projects.
• Fluency in spoken and written English with good communication skills. Additional languages that would be an advantage are French and/or Arabic.
• Ability to work in a team and supervise technical staff.

Benefits

Terms of appointment, salary, and benefits

This is a nationally recruited position open to Tunisian nationals for which ICARDA offers an attractive compensation package including a competitive salary, medical insurance, 30 days of annual leave, five months’ maternity leave, 15 days’ paternity leave. The successful candidate will be offered an initial contract of 1 year, renewable subject to continued need for the position and satisfactory performance. The first 6 months will be probationary period.

Please be advised that ICARDA accepts applications only in English, as per the organization’s standard communication language. Applications in other languages will not be considered.

ICARDA is committed to increasing women representation in its workforce and strongly encourages applications from women.

Applications will be acknowledged, but only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.