Reports to: Principal Small Ruminant Breeder

Location: The position will be based in Ethiopia

Main purpose of position

The Small Ruminant Breeder will be a member of the multidisciplinary Resilient Agrosilvopastoral Systems (RASP) team. The selected candidate will lead field implementation of small ruminant breeding programs in Sub Saharan Africa, CWANA and South Asia. The selected candidate will design new programs and follow up established programs, manage ICARDA’s data platform (DTREO) and train national scientists on data collection and analysis.

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

The incumbent will:

– Design, implement and scale small ruminant breeding programs (including development of reproductive platforms, certification of improved sires).

– Promote community-based breeding programs and conservation and sustainable use of livestock genetic resources jointly with the Principal SR breeder.

– Contribute to the design and implementation of genomic selection jointly with the SR Geneticist.

– Support the organisation and execution of sampling, data management and curation for genomic studies on small ruminants.

– Manage ICARDA’s small ruminant data platform (DTREO).

– Liaise on small ruminant breeding and genetics research both within the organization and with other institutions, governments and donors.

– Prepare reports, concept notes, proposals, and other relevant project/program documents.

– Organize and facilitate key meetings with partners to review progress and agree on future actions to meet objectives.

– Organize and contribute to training and technical backstopping to NARS on all aspects related to livestock breeding (focusing on community-based breeding programs), conservation and sustainable use of animal genetic resources.

– Contribute to project development, public awareness activities and publications.

– Keep up to date on developments in small ruminant breeding and genetics through scientific literature and publish research findings in ISI peer-reviewed scientific journals.

– Perform any other duties as required.

Requirements

Education, qualifications, and experience

• PhD degree in livestock breeding, genetics or related discipline.

• Comprehensive knowledge of livestock genetic improvement, including characterization and conservation of animal genetic resources

• Good skills in breeding data management, analysis and reporting.

• At least 5 years post-doctoral experience in design and implementation of breeding programs in international research centres or organizations.

• Experience with leading research programmes in multi locational/multi country research programmes.

• Experience with breeding programs in MENA region and/or Sub-Saharan Africa would be an advantage.

• Proven publication record in ISI-peer-reviewed journals.

• National and international recognition in the discipline

• Good inter-personal skills and the ability to work with multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams.

Benefits

Terms of appointment, salary and benefits as per IRS requirements

This is an internationally recruited position for which ICARDA offers an attractive compensation package, including a competitive salary, housing allowance, non-contributory retirement plan, medical insurance and leave provisions. All benefits are denominated and paid in US Dollars.

The successful candidate will be offered an initial contract of 2 years of which the first year will be probationary period. Possibility of the extension will be subject to merit and productivity of the staff, funding and continued need for the position.

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

Applications will be acknowledged, but we apologize in advance as due to the large number of applications only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.