International
Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT)
POST: Junior Professional Officer
Specialist (Sorghum Breeding)
CLOSING DATE: 30 April 2012
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 candidates from
developing countries. For criteria
see the website of the Dutch Ministry of
Foreign Affairs:
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.
1. 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%)
2.
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%)
3.
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.ORGVII 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 30 April 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/jpo1-sorghum-breeding.htm
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