• Vacancy announcement No.8 STABU-NB/2020
• Job title: Crop Breeding Specialist
• Location: Bujumbura Burundi
• Duration: 2 years
• Job title: National Full time

Job opportunities

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is a not-for-profit institution that generates agricultural innovations to meet Africa’s most pressing challenges of hunger, malnutrition, poverty, and natural resource degradation. Working with various partners across sub-Saharan Africa, we improve livelihoods, enhance food and nutrition security, increase employment, and preserve natural resource integrity. IITA is a member of CGIAR, a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future. Visit the site http://www.iita.org/ for more information on IITA.

IITA has received a Grant from the Government of Burundi in partnership with the International Development Association (IDA) through the Integrated Agricultural Development Project for the Great Lakes Region (PRDAIGL) (Prime Sponsor) for “Facilitating Value Addition and processing in the Context of the Maize Value Chain (PRDAIGL) Activities”.

IITA seeks to fill the position of a Crop Breeder specialist

 Responsibilities

• Contribute to genomic resource development and deployment for germplasm enhancement of maize and work with the breeder to identify priority target traits, develop breeding approaches, and implement efficient and cost effective molecular tools for the project. Utilize existing and novel markers and genotyping systems to develop and validate functional markers.
• Develop suitable marker-trait association approaches including QTL mapping, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and genomic selection for relevant traits in existing and newly developed populations.
• Collaborate with breeders and scientists in related disciplines to develop and implement improved phenotyping protocols.
• Establish collaboration with advanced labs in the areas of gene/marker discovery and trait capture techniques with the aim of deploying comparative and functional genomics approaches to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of yam breeding.
• Develop strategies to translate information from sequencing and genotyping systems and the corresponding data management and analysis methods to enhance yam improvement.
• Supervise and manage national staff and graduate students as needed.
• Participate in resource mobilization with yam research teams.
• Publish research findings in peer reviewed journals.
• Participate actively in project review and planning meetings and in reporting on progress.
• Perform any other activities as may be assigned.

Educational Qualifications

• The candidate should have a MSc in Genetics, Molecular Biology, Plant Breeding, or related fields.

Core Competencies:

• At least 2 years of post-PhD experience in a crop breeding program.
• Knowledge and experience in plant genetics, genomics, breeding, and bioinformatics.
• Ability to integrate high quality phenotyping with genotyping.
• Experience with project activity implementation and monitoring.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent spoken and written English. Fluency in French will be an asset.
• Demonstrated ability to publish articles in peer reviewed international journals.
• Ability to work as a member of a team.

Method of Application

Interested applicants should submit their application (saved in one pdf file under their names) including cover letter and curriculum vitae. The application must include the names and e-mail addresses of three professional referees.

Email your application to IITA-Burundi@cgiar.org and the subject matter is: ‘’Application-Position title’’

The closing date is October 16^th, 2020.