Reasearch Associate I-National Project Workforce

Key skills

Data Analysis

Statistical Modeling

Machine Learning

Predictive Analytics

Database Management

Programming in R

crop protection

Additional/Preferred Skills

Data Visualization

Machine Learning

Cloud Computing

Agile Methodologies

Statistical Analysis

Data Governance

Business Intelligence

Preferred Qualifications

Master's Degree in Data Science

MSc

PhD

Agriculture

Research Associate - I

ICRISAT seeks applications from dynamic and motivated Indian Nationals for the position of Research Associate – I under the category of National Project Workforce (NPW). The incumbent will support the planning and implementation of both field-based and controlled environment experiments focused on soil-borne diseases affecting legume crops. The position is based in Patancheru, Hyderabad, Telangana.

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:

• Assist in the design of experiments, surveys, development of data collection tools, such as questionnaires, and interview guides related to crop production and protection

• Analyze the impacts of climate change on crop pest and disease dynamics and assess implications for agroecological services using historical datasets and climate projections

• Manage large-scale data integration workflows involving AI, image processing field observations to support research and decision-making for crop stress detection and management

• Calibrate and validate crop and pest models using multi-source data to contribute to scenario-based early warning systems and policy advisory tools

• Contribute to research on climate change impacts on agriculture, adaptation planning, crop loss assessment due to pests, and the advancement of citizen science approaches

• Integrate diverse datasets, including microbial, phenotypic, agronomic, and genomic data to identify functional relationships and potential biomarkers

• Prepare and disseminate scientific reports, peer-reviewed publications to communicate findings to scientific and policy audiences

• Assist in research proposal development, project management, and stakeholder communication to ensure effective delivery and impact of ongoing initiatives

• Perform additional research duties as assigned by the supervisor

Essential Criteria:

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Crop Protection, Agricultural Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Computer Science, or a closely related field

• Strong experience in data analysis, pest & disease modelling, and AI and digital tools

• Proficiency in Python, R, or similar tools for data processing and visualization

• Experience in citizen science, farmer engagement, or participatory digital tools

• Background in climate resilience, contributing to science-policy interface or international agricultural development projects

• Experience handling omics and genomic datasets; understanding of bioinformatics or phenotyping is an advantage

• Strong communication skills and experience working in interdisciplinary, multi-stakeholder environments

• NET qualification is preferred

General:

This is a contractual role for a period of 36 months (3 years).

How to apply:

The position will remain open until a suitable candidate is identified. Shortlisting will start from 11 September 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.