Key skills
Genetic Resource Management
Biodiversity Conservation Strategies
Seed Storage and Preservation
Regulatory Compliance Knowledge
Additional/Preferred Skills
Data Analysis
Project Management
Stakeholder Engagement
Risk Assessment
Regulatory Compliance
Budget Management
Team Leadership
Preferred Qualifications
PhD in Plant Breeding, Genetics, Genetic Resources
Head - Genebank
ICRISAT is seeking a globally respected and motivated leader to steward one of the world’s important collections of dryland crop genetic resources and to position the International Genebank as a more connected, data-rich and utilization-oriented platform for future crop improvement. We are looking for a leader who combines scientific credibility with operational discipline and an outward-looking mindset. The successful candidate should be comfortable protecting a globally significant public good while also asking how the collection can be used more intelligently and more often to solve breeding problems. They should be able to work across science, policy, data, infrastructure and partnerships, and to build trust across cultures and institutions. The position is based in the Headquarters in India at Patancheru, Hyderabad, Telangana.
The Genebank conserves more than 132,000 accessions of sorghum, pearl millet, chickpea, pigeonpea, groundnut, finger millet and small millets originating from over 140 countries. The role combines rigorous conservation and operational stewardship with scientific leadership, digital modernization, partnerships and stronger use of genetic diversity in breeding and pre-breeding.
ICRISAT is a non-profit, non-political organization that conducts agricultural research for development in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa with a wide array of partners throughout the world. Covering 6.5 million square kilometers of land in 55 countries, the semi- arid or dryland tropics has over 2 billion people and 644 million of these are the poorest of the poor. ICRISAT and its partners help empower these disadvantaged populations to overcome poverty, hunger and a degraded environment through better agricultural production systems.
ICRISAT is headquartered at Patancheru near Hyderabad, India, with two regional hubs and eight country offices in sub-Saharan Africa. ICRISAT envisions a prosperous, food-secure and resilient dryland tropics. Its mission is to reduce poverty, hunger, malnutrition and environmental degradation in the dryland tropics. ICRISAT conducts research on its mandate crops of chickpea, pigeonpea, groundnut, sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet in the arid and semi-arid tropics.
The Institute focuses its work on the drylands and in protecting the environment. Tropical dryland areas are usually seen as resource-poor and perennially beset by shocks such as drought, thereby trapping dryland communities in poverty and hunger and making them dependent on external aid. Please visit www.icrisat.org.
Role Purpose
The Head - Genebank will have overall responsibility for the scientific, operational and strategic leadership of ICRISAT’s International Genebank. The incumbent will safeguard the collections to international standards while accelerating their characterization, discoverability and responsible use in crop improvement. The role will work closely with ACI leadership, ICRISAT scientists, CGIAR genebanks, national partners, the Crop Trust, governments and the international plant genetic resources community.
Key accountabilities
1. Steward the collections — Ensure conservation, regeneration, viability monitoring, health testing, distribution and documentation meet recognized international standards; maintain appropriate safety duplication and risk-management arrangements across the collections.
2. Modernize genebank operations — Drive efficient, quality-assured and increasingly digital workflows, with clear operational metrics, traceability and continuous improvement. Ensure high-quality accession data and effective use of GRIN-Global, Genesys and other relevant information systems.
3. Move from conservation to utilization — Build stronger links between the Genebank and crop improvement through characterization, evaluation, trait discovery, pre-breeding and genomics-enabled use of diversity. Promote core/representative collections, gap analysis and targeted strategies to broaden useful diversity.
4. Lead science and innovation — Develop a forward-looking research agenda in genetic resources, seed longevity and physiology, population diversity, crop evolution, conservation technologies and genomics/phenomics-enabled characterization. Publish high-quality research and build collaborative scientific programs.
5. Enable responsible germplasm exchange — Ensure compliance with applicable international treaties, access and benefit-sharing frameworks, phytosanitary requirements, institutional policies and material-transfer processes. Engage effectively with the Government of India and other relevant authorities to facilitate safe and lawful germplasm movement.
6. Build partnerships and global visibility — Represent ICRISAT in relevant CGIAR and international forums; strengthen collaboration with national genebanks, CGIAR Centers, the Crop Trust and other strategic partners; and develop regional partnerships for conservation, evaluation, dissemination and use of genetic resources.
7. Lead people and performance — Provide clear direction to Genebank staff, establish individual and team goals, strengthen capabilities and succession, and foster a culture of scientific excellence, service, accountability, safety and collaboration across locations.
8. Manage resources and mobilize funding — Own annual planning, budgets, monitoring and reporting for the Genebank; meet institutional and partner obligations; develop competitive proposals and partnerships that expand resources for conservation, research and enhanced utilization.
9. Shape future infrastructure — In collaboration with the Research Program Director – Accelerated Crop Improvement, the Deputy Director General – Research and Innovation, and relevant institutional teams, help define the future infrastructure and operating model for ICRISAT’s Genebank, including planning for renewal or replacement of ageing facilities.
Qualifications and Experience
- PhD in plant breeding, genetics, genetic resources/economic botany, seed or tissue physiology, or a closely related discipline.
- Substantial post-PhD scientific experience, ideally around 13 years or more, including senior responsibility for an international, regional or national genebank or comparable genetic-resources program.
- Demonstrated experience managing diverse crop collections, including crops with different breeding systems and propagation requirements.
- Strong record of research and peer-reviewed publication in crop genetic resources, conservation, diversity, seed science or related areas.
- Experience in research leadership, project management, proposal development and resource mobilization.
- Evidence of leading multidisciplinary and multicultural teams and building productive institutional partnerships.
Knowledge and Capabilities
- Deep understanding of crop genetic diversity, population genetics, breeding systems, crop evolution, seed physiology and seed health/pathology relevant to ex situ conservation.
- Working knowledge of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, access and benefit sharing, phytosanitary requirements, intellectual-property considerations and related frameworks affecting germplasm exchange.
- Ability to identify gaps in collections and develop scientifically grounded strategies for acquisition, conservation and enhanced use.
- Strong understanding of genomics and emerging data-driven approaches for characterization and use of genetic resources; familiarity with phenomics, AI-enabled analytics or digital genebank approaches would be an advantage.
- Strategic leadership, sound judgement and the ability to translate science into operational priorities and measurable outcomes.
- Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement and relationship-building skills; fluency in spoken and written English.
General
This is a contractual position for a period of three years (36 months).
How to apply -
The position will remain open until a suitable candidate is identified. All Applicants should apply with their latest Resume by 01 October 2026, along with the names and contact information of three references who are knowledgeable about their professional qualifications and work experience. All applications will be acknowledged; however, only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
ICRISAT is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to increasing diversity and maintaining a progressive and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of their ethnicity, race, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age, marital status or whether they have a disability.