INTERNATIONAL
CROP RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR SEMI ARID TROPICS
POST: Junior Professional Officer
Specialist (Sorghum Breeding)
I. GENERAL
INFORMATION
TITLE: Specialist (Sorghum Breeding)
SECTOR OF
ASSIGNMENT: Breeding
COUNTRY: Mali
LOCATION (CITY): Bamako
AGENCY: International Crops Research
Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)
DURATION OF
ASSIGNMENT:
Initially one year with the possibility to extend up to 3 years
GRADE: P1 step 1 or P2 step 1 in the
first year, depending on the level of education and relevant working experience
Note : this post is opened in the context of the Junior Professional
Officer (JPO) scheme sponsored by the Government of the Netherlands and is
addressed exclusively to people with the Dutch nationality. For criteria see the website of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign
Affairs:
http://www.minbuza.nl/contact/werken-bij/internationale-organisaties/assistent-deskundigen-programma
II. DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES AND
OUTPUT EXPECTATIONS
GENERAL
A decade of collaborative
breeding research by ICRISAT and the Malian Insitute d’Economie Rural has
developed the first series of sorghum hybrid parental-lines based on adapted
Guinea-race germplasm. This first set of
sorghum hybrids have shown 40% grain yield advantage over the best local
varieties across a range of farmer-management conditions in extensive on-farm
testing. However, broadening the genetic base and clearer definition and
establishment of distinct parental pools is necessary to make sorghum hybrids a
viable and sustainable commercial success. The specialist will join the
ICRISAT-Bamako sorghum breeding team. She/he will contribute to hybrid
development research, with emphasis on hybrid parent development and testing.
The results and breeding material developed will contribute directly to the
ICRISAT/NARS collaborative endeavor for sorghum improvement in West and Central
Africa.
•Responsibility 1 (40% time)
SUMMARY OF DUTIES
AND EXPECTED OUTPUT
•Field experiment planning and
installation (30%)
•Field operations and
observations for crossing, backcrossing, fertility reaction determination (30%)
•Phenotyping for key agronomic
traits (20%)
•Data management and analysis
(20%)
•Responsibility 2 (30% time)
SUMMARY
OF DUTIES AND EXPECTED OUTPUT
•Creation of new variability
(random-mating population and bi-parental crossing to diversify maturity to
combine Guinea-race grain characteristics for quality food and feed use and
reduced plant height) (50%)
•Test crossing, back crossing and
combining ability testing to develop new seed-parent A/B pairs (50%)
•Responsibility 3 (30% time)
SUMMARY
OF DUTIES AND EXPECTED OUTPUT
•Collaborating with National
Programs and Farmer Organizations to create and test experimental hybrids under
targeted environmental conditions to identify hybrids for commercial production
(40%)
•Determination of heterotic pools
for Guinea-race sorghum hybrids (30%)
•Use of genetic-diversity
information from molecular-genetic studies, testing and confirmation of
heterotic pools (30%)
III. LEARNING
ELEMENTS AND EXPECTATIONS
The JPO learning programme includes the following elements:
The candidate will gain
experience in applied hybrid breeding and a wide range of field research techniques.
The specialist will participate in all planning meetings of the research team,
seminars, scientific workshops and symposia. S/he will be requested to prepare
and give seminars on topics of her/his own work as well as integrating other
researchers’ results/information on hybrid development. In addition, the
incumbent will participate in stakeholders meetings, integrating issues related
to hybrid development into the research strategy.
Upon completion of
the assignment the JPO will have/ will be able to
•Knowledge and expertise on major
issues involved in sorghum hybrid development
•Experience in working in a
multidisciplinary and multicultural research team including NARS Scientists and
other Stakeholders.
•Extensive knowledge of breeding
and writing scientific articles and reports
IV.
SUPERVISION
TITLE OF
SUPERVISOR: PRINCIPAL SCIENTIST (SORGHUM BREEDING AND GENETIC RESOURCES)
CONTENT AND METHODOLOGY
OF SUPERVISION
Immediate supervisor and the
Director, West and Central Africa will supervise the Specialist. Evaluation will take place each year. The candidate will be asked to fill a standard
performance evaluation form of ICRISAT. The supervisor will discuss with the
candidate about the activities, achievements and constraints in carrying out
the agreed activities. The specialist will participate in all planning meetings
of the research team, seminars, scientific workshops and symposia. He/she will
be requested to prepare and give seminars on topics of his/her own work as well
as integrating other researcher’s results/information on technology. In
addition, the incumbent will participate in stakeholders meetings, integrating
issues related to technology transfer into the research strategy.
V. REQUIRED
QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE
EDUCATION: Master degree in Agriculture with
2 years, or BSc in Agriculture with 4
years, relevant working experience in Sorghum Breeding.
WORKING EXPERIENCE:
Preferably 2 to
maximal 4 years relevant working experience, including internships and
voluntary work.
LANGUAGES: Fluency in English is essential
and knowledge of French and any other African languages will be an
advantage.
KEY COMPETENCIES
•Extensive knowledge of plant breeding
•Statistics/quantitative
genetics; Use and interpretation of molecular genetic
•Data management and ability to
analyse research results
•Self-motivated and analytical;
Team worker
•Scientific articles and reports
writing
VI.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON AGENCY/DEPARTMENT/SECTION
The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics
(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. It belongs to the Consortium of
Centers supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural
Research (CGIAR). ICRISAT is
headquartered in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India, with two regional hubs one
each for East and Central Africa at Nairobi, Kenya and West and Central Africa
at Bamako, Mali and four country offices at Niger, Nigeria, Malawi and Zimbabwe
in Sub-Saharan Africa. ICRISAT staff collaborates closely with NARES, sister
IARCs, ARIs, NGOs and private sector organizations. Please visit our website: www.ICRISAT.ORG
VII. INFORMATION ON LIVING CONDITIONS AT DUTY
STATION
Living conditions in Bamako, Mali are good. Housing is comfortable and secure and there
is plenty of opportunity for shopping, recreation, sport and dining out. There
are good international air travel connections to Europe and elsewhere in Africa
and telephone, internet and email facilities are available both at the
ICRISAT-Samanko Regional Hub. The research facilities are good with a number of
other institutions co-located at the research station. Medical, dental and primary education
facilities are available locally. French
is the official language and knowledge of French is helpful for interacting
with national program partners.
VIII. HOW TO APPLY
Applications including curriculum vitae (giving contact address with
email Id, date of birth, nationality, marital status – if married with spouse
and children details), list of publications, and names and addresses of three
referees should be sent to Human Resources, ICRISAT, Patancheru, Andhra Pradesh
502 324, India, by email to: icrisatjobs@cgiar.org before 30th June 2012.
Applicants will receive
acknowledgement of receipt of their submission. Only shortlisted candidates
will be contacted.
FOR DETAILS, PLEASE REFER http://www.icrisat.org/careers/jpo-sorghum-breeding.htm
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