Pigeonpea-Associate Scientist

Key skills

Sound knowledge on developing breeding experiments and generation advancement techniques

Additional/Preferred Skills

Experience in pigeonpea breeding

crop breeding

Preferred Qualifications

PhD in Genetics and Plant Breeding

Associate Scientist - Pigeonpea

ICRISAT seeks applications from motivated and dynamic Kenyan nationals for the position of Associate Scientist - Pigeonpea to support ICRISAT’s pigeonpea breeding team under the Global Research Program Accelerated Crop Improvement – Crop Breeding. This position is based at ICRISAT- Nairobi, Kenya.

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. Covering 6.5 million square kilometers of land in 55 countries, the semi- arid or dryland tropics has over 2 billion people and 644 million of these are the poorest of the poor. ICRISAT and its partners help empower these disadvantaged populations to overcome poverty, hunger and a degraded environment through better agricultural production systems.

ICRISAT is headquartered at Patancheru near Hyderabad, India, with two regional hubs and eight country offices in sub-Saharan Africa. ICRISAT envisions a prosperous, food-secure and resilient dryland tropics. Its mission is to reduce poverty, hunger, malnutrition and environmental degradation in the dryland tropics. ICRISAT conducts research on its mandate crops of chickpea, pigeonpea, groundnut, sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet in the arid and semi-arid tropics. The Institute focuses its work on the drylands and in protecting the environment. Tropical dryland areas are usually seen as resource-poor and perennially beset by shocks such as drought, thereby trapping dryland communities in poverty and hunger and making them dependent on external aid. Please visit - www.icrisat.org

Responsibilities:

• Handle field breeding activities including population development and hybrid parents breeding in Pigeonpea suitable for Eastern and Southern Africa

• Support in developing new proposals, project management

• Summarize, and interpret the data of the experiments; prepare reports for donors and

• Publish research papers in the reputed journals

• Establish seed stocks and seed productions for multi locational trials and breeding nurseries

• Assist the Pigeonpea breeding program activities in Eastern & Southern Africa

• Any responsibilities assigned by the supervisor

Requirement:

• PhD in Genetics and Plant Breeding

• At least 2 years of postdoctoral experience in Pigeonpea breeding

• Knowledge of pulse crop and breeding strategies will be an added advantage

• Sound knowledge of developing breeding experiments and generation advancement techniques through speed breeding in Pigeonpea

• Experience in Field experimentation (Field layout, field book), data analysis and interpretation (GENSTAT, R and SAAS).

• Excellent communication and writing skills

• Proficiency in computers skills MS-office

• Team management and crisis-handling skills

General:

This is a contractual role for a period of 36 months (3 years), renewable based on the performance funding availability and the institute’s continuing need for the position.

How to apply:

The position will remain open until a suitable candidate is identified. Shortlisting will start from 20 July 2025.  All Applicants should apply with their latest Resume, and the names and contact information of three references that are knowledgeable about their professional qualifications and work experience. All applications will be acknowledged; however, only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

ICRISAT is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to increasing diversity and maintaining a progressive and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of their ethnicity, race, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age, marital status or whether they have a disability.