Reports to: Principal Small Ruminant Breeder
Location: Punjab, Pakistan

Main purpose of position

The Research Associate – Small ruminant breeder/ Livestock economist will work within the multidisciplinary Resilient Agrosilvopastoral Systems (RASP) team and contribute to the site coordination and implementation of a project on ‘Moving further towards formalized goat value chains in Pakistan through business-oriented breeder and producer groups.’ The position is key for implementing ICARDA’s Novel research on community-based breeding program to support poor and vulnerable smallholder farmers.

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 because of these reforms.

Main responsibilities

• Support the design and conduct of research in sheep and goat breeding, husbandry and marketing including, data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Assist in baseline/ midterm and endline studies to help in monitoring, evaluation and learning of the project.
• Facilitate the establishment of market linkages of goats between community-based breeding programs and lucrative markets.
• Supervise casual staff and enumerators who are working in the breeding program.
• Follow and execute smooth running of community-based breeding programs and animal 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 fora.
• Perform other duties assigned by the program.

Requirements

Education, qualifications and experience

• MSc in Animal Sciences, livestock breeding, agricultural economics or related discipline (or equivalent Qualification).
• At least 7 years of practical experience.
• Detailed knowledge on animal breeding programs, marketing of animals, livestock management.
• Ability to manage small teams consisting of casual workers and enumerators.
• Experience with essential data quality control and data quality assurance procedures.
• Conversant with Microsoft Office and graphic programs.
• Fluency in spoken and written English with good communication skills.

Benefits

Terms of appointment, salary, and benefits

This is a project based nationally recruited position open to Pakistani 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 a probationary period.

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.