Job Overview
CIMMYT International
JOB OPPORTUNITY
Assistant Research Associate – Irrigation and Scaling Pathways
The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, known by its Spanish acronym, CIMMYT®, is a not-for-profit agricultural research and training organization with partners in over 100 countries. Please refer to our website for more information: www.cimmyt.org
CIMMYT is seeking an experienced professional to support the ‘Russia–Ukraine crisis response: Building food system resilience to global supply chain and climate shocks in Nepal’ Activity. This Activity will be implemented as part of the Cereal Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA) to deliver a rapid and coordinated response to the effects of global supply chain distortions and their implications for smallholder farming households and poor consumers in Nepal.
This position will work under ‘Objective 2. Smallholder farmers’ resilience to economic shocks and climate change improved through sustainable and inclusive irrigation development’. Activities in this objective include locally targeted irrigation scaling strategies, management advisories, and gender-equitable business models, including access to finance for irrigation pumps (with a focus on but not limited to solar irrigation). By coordinating and sequencing these actions, CSISA’s efforts in irrigation development will build further resilience in Nepal’s agricultural systems to economic and climatic shocks, including recent fuel and agricultural commodity price volatility.
The location for this position will be Dhangadi (Kailali), Ghorahi (Dang), or Birendranagar (Surkhet).
Specific duties:
- Work with senior staff to facilitate the research and partnership activities implemented in CSISA Resilience and Response project for irrigation-related activities.
- Lead efforts to develop, propose, and implement research efforts for the sustainable and inclusive smallholder irrigation use and scaling pathways in Nepal.
- Lead efforts in the design and the implementation of action research activities for scaling sustainable and inclusive use of sustainable and inclusive smallholder irrigation technologies and business models in Nepal.
- Support in drafting relevant documents and reports.
- Support in assuring analytical techniques and/or fieldwork are developed in compliance with established quality standards.
- Supervise field activities of both research and development activities as assigned and report abnormal situations that arise in the development of the project assigned.
- Take a leading responsibility as a member of the team to develop periodic reports and tables that allow the program scientists to track their projects.
- Participate in special projects with other research institutions and international organizations.
- Strongly contribute to the training and updating of knowledge and research techniques to the rest of the staff working in the unit and keep updated on new research techniques or processes.
- Visit and supervise other CIMMYT field work programs and/or field programs of collaborators.
- Take a leading role in conducting field surveys and interviews with farmers and other stakeholders for analysis and inclusion in CIMMYT publications.
- Coordinate efforts to raise awareness about project activities, products, and outcomes among stakeholders, partners, policymakers, and the general public.
- Assisting in monitoring and evaluation, and reporting efforts by providing quality input and reports in a timely manner (as indicated by the project lead and supervisor).
Required academic qualifications, skills and attitudes:
- Masters’ degree in agricultural water management, irrigation sciences, agronomy, or another related field.
- Proficient knowledge of relevant administrative and operating protocols and policies required for research associates.
- Good knowledge of irrigation, including crop water use, irrigation scheduling, and irrigation technologies with a focus on groundwater.
- Medium managerial competence.
- At least 5 years of professional work experience in research and research for development projects.
- Requires conceptual knowledge of theories, practices, and procedures within agricultural water management, irrigation system design, and crop water use.
- Good written and verbal communication skills in English.
- Demonstrated ability to write, publish, and disseminate technical reports, success stories, and promotional materials.
- Information Technology needed: Proficiency to use standard software incl. MS Office at an advanced level.
- Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary, multi-institutional, and multi-cultural environment.
- The selected candidate must exhibit the following competencies: Critical and Creative Thinking, Negotiation and Conflict Resolution, Teamwork and, Communication. Complexity of thinking needed: Work is complex and technical in scope.
Interested candidates must apply online here for N22264_Assistant Research Associate – Irrigation and Scaling Pathways and submit the application with detailed information no later than January 31st, 2023. Incomplete applications will not be taken into consideration.
Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
CIMMYT is an equal opportunity employer. It fosters a multicultural work environment that values gender equality, teamwork, and respect for diversity. Women candidates are encouraged to apply.