Crop Management Scientist

International Potato Center POSITION ANNOUNCEMENT

Crop Management Scientist

The International Potato Center (CIP) is seeking to recruit a dynamic and experienced Crop Management Scientist to support the second phase of the “Enhancing Agricultural Recovery and Combatting Malnutrition in Drought-Affected Southern Madagascar Utilizing Nutritious, Climate-Resilient Vitamin A Sweetpotato”, BHA project in Madagascar.

About CIP

CIP, a member of the One CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future. One CGIAR science is dedicated to transforming food, land and water systems in a climate crisis, and it is carried out by 13 CGIAR Centers/Alliances in close collaboration with hundreds of partners, including national and regional research institutes, civil society organizations, academia, development organizations and the private sector.

CIP works with partners in over 20 countries to improve diets and incomes of poor people in Africa, Asia and Latin America through scientific research, innovation, and capacity strengthening. Focusing on potato and sweetpotato as food systems entry point, CIP’s programs seek to strengthen broader agri-food systems to generate economic, social and nutritional benefits for farmers, enterprises and consumers emphasizing the priorities of women and youth in particular. CIP emphasizes the synergies between social and bio-physical sciences as a core strategy for making breakthroughs in our understanding of complex development challenges in food and agriculture and for our ability to overcome these. Within this pluralistic strategy, qualitative social science has a central, and increasing place for explaining human and institutional behavior and assessing benefits and risks for human development.

About the position

The Crop Management Scientist will be based in Ambovombe, Madagascar and will report to the Principal Scientist.

Key Responsibilities:

• Conduct extensive participatory varietal selection trials, comparing improved orange-fleshed sweetpotato varieties to dominant local landraces in Southern Madagascar to build a solid evidence base on agronomic performance and organoleptic acceptance

• Coordinate the multiplication of cuttings required for all trials. • Conduct qualitative research to understand the functioning of the sweetpotato seed system in different agro-ecological settings, using existing tools and developing new approaches as

required.

• Collaborate with communication and monitoring team members to design field days and other

events to promote commercialization of seed sales and knowledge about the intrinsic value of

different sweetpotato varieties

• Strengthen the capacity of national program scientists and local agronomists in varietal selection

and relevant seed and crop management techniques.

• Design and implement one rice-sweetpotato rotation trial, in collaboration with Africa Rice.

• Prepare a comprehensive working paper on participatory variety selection using validated digital

tools, paying particular attention to gender and age differences.

• Understand the benefits and challenges experience by male and female farmers using the Triple

S method for seed conservation and production.

• In collaboration with the national sweetpotato program at FIFAMANOR, develop a catalogue of

local landraces found in Southern Madagascar.

• Interact with regional breeders and sweetpotato seed system experts to exchange experiences at

least twice a year.

• Backstop and train implementation agronomists on technical issues regarding sweetpotato crop

management.

• Contribute to quarterly reports in a timely fashion.

• Prepare and submit 3 articles for publication.

Selection Criteria

Education and Experience

• PhD in Plant Breeding, Agronomy, Plant Sciences or highly related field.

• Minimum 5 years of experience in a similar position, including staff supervision and extensive

field work in collaboration with colleagues.

• Strong knowledge of how to breed and manage seed systems of a vegetatively propagated

crop. Experience with sweetpotato highly preferred.

• Excellent quantitative skills for analyzing and interpreting trial results.

• Experience with qualitative methods (focus group discussions, informant interviews) for

collecting data.

• Evidence of teaching or mentoring capabilities.

• Good publication record.

Key competences

• Demonstrated leadership ability

• Willingness to travel extensively by land

• Ability and interest in working as part of a multi-disciplinary team

Languages

• Fluent in French and English (writing and speaking).

• Knowledge of Malagasy is a plus.

What are we offering?

• Excellent working environment. • Compensation package commensurate with experience.

• The contract duration is for an average of 18 months up to Dec 2024 which is the project end date.

• Work in an equal and diverse workplace.

Condition: Any offer made with regards to this vacancy is conditional to the formal award of the

afore-mentioned grant

How to apply?

Visit the following link: https://cipotato.org/open-vacancies/ and submit your cover letter and a full C.V.

with your references. Screening of applications will begin on June 12, 2023 and will continue until the

post is filled. All applications will be acknowledged; however only short-listed candidates will be

contacted.

This position WILL have contact with children or vulnerable adults.

Learn more about CIP by accessing our web site at http://www.cipotato.org.

CIP is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified women and professionals from developing

countries are particularly encouraged to apply.