Job Description
Research Specialist
Genebank
About the position
The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) is seeking a Research Specialist to coordinate the Genebank’s In Vitro team, ensuring the long-term conservation, optimization, and distribution of the global cassava (Manihot spp.) collection held in trust by the Alliance. The position coordinates team operations and technical activities related to in vitro conservation, cryopreservation, phytosanitation, genetic redundancy screening, safety duplication, and seed conservation of wild relatives, in accordance with institutional procedures and applicable international standards.
This position is based in Palmira, Colombia.
Key Responsibilities
• Coordinate and monitor the implementation and periodic review of routine conservation procedures for the global Manihot collection, ensuring alignment with institutional priorities and applicable international standards.
• Supervise the In Vitro team, organize workloads, monitor performance and deliverables, and support staff development in accordance with institutional guidelines.
• Coordinate safety-duplication arrangements and maintain technical collaboration with national and international partners, research institutions, and academic trainees.
• Monitor germplasm requests and distribution activities, ensuring compliance with applicable Standard Material Transfer Agreements (SMTAs), phytosanitary requirements, and institutional procedures.
• Coordinate technical activities and research projects aimed at improving conservation methods, assessing genetic redundancy, addressing collection gaps, and advancing the conservation of wild cassava relatives.
• Coordinate activities with the Germplasm Health Laboratory, Seed Conservation and Regeneration, Digital Genebank, and other relevant research teams within the genebank to ensure consistency across conservation processes.
• Engage with germplasm users and research partners to identify collection needs, promote utilization, and improve accession information and documentation.
• Prepare and review technical reports, work plans, project deliverables, and documentation required for institutional and donor reporting, including technical audits.
• Identify operational and technical risks affecting conservation activities and coordinate appropriate follow-up actions with relevant teams.
Requirements
Required qualifications and experience
• Master’s degree in Biological Sciences, Agronomy, Plant Biotechnology, Genetics, or a related agricultural or biological discipline, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Advanced knowledge of in vitro conservation and cryopreservation, and demonstrated experience in tissue culture, cryopreservation methods, and the conservation of plant genetic resources.
• Experience supervising personnel and coordinating technical operations in a laboratory or genebank environment.
• Knowledge of international frameworks relevant to plant genetic resources, including the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (ITPGRFA), as well as phytosanitary requirements.
• Experience preparing technical reports and monitoring project deliverables; familiarity with donor reporting requirements is desirable.
• Ability to coordinate technical projects, monitor work plans, and supervise team performance.
• Strong organizational, analytical, and interdepartmental coordination skills.
• Effective written and verbal communication in English and Spanish
Competences
• Advanced communication skills to interact with multidisciplinary teams and strategic partners.
• Leadership and autonomous decision-making capabilities.
• Results-oriented with attention to detail.
• Critical thinking and innovation.
• Strategic planning and time management skills.
• Strong collaboration skills for interdisciplinary teamwork.
Benefits
Terms of employment
This
is a position placed at a BG08, on a scale of 14 levels, with BG14 being the
highest level. This is a national position and will be managed through a
fixed-term contract with a duration of one (1) year, subject to a probation
period according to the local legislation and is renewable depending on
performance and availability of resources. The Alliance Bioversity-CIAT offers
a multicultural, collegial research environment with competitive salaries and
excellent benefits. We are an equal opportunity employer, and strive for
gender, diversity, and inclusion in our staff, without regard to race, color,
religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin,
ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, or any other characteristic.
Applications
Applications must be submitted
through the following link: https://forms.gle/4V2wdM8z1TL1EJjG9
Closing
date: November 10th 2026