Sunday, May 29, 2022

Principal Scientist – II


 Principal Scientist – II (Head, International Genebank)

The International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) is currently seeking an experienced and highly motivated individual as the Principal Scientist-II (Head- International Genebank). The ICRISAT Genebank maintains a large ex situ collection of over 129,000 accessions of Sorghum, Pearl millet, Chickpea, Pigeonpea, Groundnut, Finger millet and five small millets from 144 countries of the world. ICRISAT has a large medium term and long-term storage facility in Patancheru and small collections at three regional locations (Nairobi, Kenya; Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, and Niamey, Niger). The Head of the ICRISAT Genebank will be fully responsible for operations at all of these locations as follows:

  1. Ensure that all of ICRISATs ex situ conservation activities are regularly monitored, documented and proved to meet international standards, and that ICRISAT fulfils its obligations to the international community to secure their collections, make them available, and enhance their use for the future. This includes the management of conservation and distribution of accessions in regional stations.
  2. Ensure the safety level 1 and level 2 backup of the accessions at appropriate locations following international protocols and agreements. 
  3. Ensure the documentation of accessions are as complete as possible and easily available to internal and external requests for enhancing the conservation and utililization of collections. Oversee the development of ICRISAT’s new data system in GRIN-Global and ensure regular updates to the web portal, Genesys.
  4. Ensure reporting obligations of the Genebank Platform to the Institute, partners and the Secretariat of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture are fully complied with.
  5. Contribute actively to planning, implementing, monitoring and reporting collective and individual Center activities under the Genebank Platform.
  6. Coordinate activities and events with one CGIAR Genebank managers, as well as National Genebanks ICRISAT partners with as well as with the staff of the Crop Trust.
  7. Monitor, manage and take full responsibility for the use of annual funding provided by the Genebank Platform.
  8. Develop and implement ICRISAT's approach to developing a single integrated genebank in multiple locations. This will require close collaboration with CGIAR Centers and partners in the regions and supervision of ICRISAT regional staff.
  9. Interact with the Government of India and other Governments in ICRISATs sphere of influence, to facilitate the safe movement of germplasm to and from different countries.
  10. Conduct and contribute to research within ICRISAT and with partners to improve the efficiency of conservation and use of the collection
  11. Publish research results in international peer-reviewed journals.
  12. Orient and evaluate the Staff after setting individual and teamwork plans, and develop human talent of the Genebank staff at all locations.
  13. Plan and manage the budget in full accordance with the Genebank Platform and ICRISAT policies.
  14. Develop and submit grant proposals in relation to research issues for the conservation, increase and utilization of the collections, and participate other major initiatives for the conservation or enhancement of the in-trust collections.
  15. Coordinate regional partnerships in the conservation, dissemination, evaluation, or use of genetic resources.
  16. Represent ICRISAT in international forums on plant genetic resources and participate into the ad hoc committees of the CGIAR on plant genetic resources and related issues.
Assignment Location:

The position will be based at ICRISAT’s headquarters in Patancheru, near Hyderabad, Telangana State, India. Hyderabad is the largest city and capital of the Telangana State; and also the de jure capital of the state of Andhra Pradesh. It is India’s fourth largest city; and is a fascinating combination of the ancient and the modern India. 

Hyderabad has developed into one of the major hubs for the information technology industry in India. In addition to the IT industry, various biotechnology and pharmaceutics companies have set up their operations in Hyderabad owing to its established Public sector in Life Science Research and Genome Valley. The city incubates several promising start-up companies and is one of the most exciting business centers in the country.

Located at the crossroads of North and South India, Hyderabad has cultivated a unique culture that is reflected in its language and architecture. Hyderabad is known for its rich history, food and its multi-lingual culture. There are four major languages spoken in Hyderabad: Hindi, Deccani-Urdu, Telugu and English.  English is the language of business and administration and is widely spoken and understood. The Hyderabadi cuisine is known for its delectable flavours. Traditional Hyderabadi Dum Biryani is the most celebrated dish from Hyderabad.

Hyderabad has world class education facilities. While it is home to the prestigious International Business School, the city also houses educational institutes and schools imparting various national and international curriculum. It is noteworthy, ICRISAT hosts the International School of Hyderabad within its campus.

Hyderabad is an ideal destination for expatriation. A vibrant international community, warm and friendly residents, negligible crime rate, sophisticated luxury hotels, sprawling shopping malls, boutique cafes and world class recreation facilities make the city an ideal destination for global citizens.

How to apply:

If this position interests you, please follow the below instructions to apply.

Applicants should apply on or before 31 May 2022, with latest Curriculum Vitae, 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.

About ICRISAT: 

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 kilo meters 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.

Aspirational targets and development outcomes:

ICRISAT has set four bold targets in the next ten years that will enormously benefit the well-being of the drylands' poorest people:

  • Help halve rural poverty by increasing farm incomes through more productive, stable, diverse and profitable crops and crop products;
  • Help halve hunger by contributing innovations that increase yields by 30% on a wide scale and through policy advice that stabilizes food prices and availability;
  • Help halve childhood malnutrition by enhancing the nutrient content of staple food crops and helping the poor diversify their crops, delivering more nutritious and safer food; and
  • Increase the resilience of dryland farming through innovations that stabilize, safeguard, and enhance natural resource capital, biological and systems diversity, and land;
ICRISAT, with an annual budget of over USD60 million, has a global workforce of over 3000 individuals in Asia and Africa.

Position overview:

ICRISAT has a compelling mission to fight poverty and improve the lives of people living in the semi-arid regions around the world. The semi-arid tropics are harsh environments with some of the highest levels of poverty and malnutrition, impacted strongly by climate change and battling water shortages and environmental degradation. The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) cannot be met unless we are persistent in escalating efforts towards finding solutions in these most challenged landscapes.

This is an exceptional opportunity to become a part of a modern and innovative agricultural research organization. ICRISAT is embarking on a journey to implement its new research structure in Asia, East and Southern Africa and West and Central Africa through its three newly carved global research programs. To implement its research for development agenda, ICRISAT is looking for a dynamic, experienced, exceptional, multi-talented candidate for the position of ‘Principal Scientist-II (Head, International Genebank)’ for its Global Research Program “Accelerated Crop Improvement”.

The position will report to the Research Program Director – Accelerated Crop Improvement.  This position will be hired through a Globally Competitive Recruitment process on a contract for a period of three years with an attractive compensation and benefits package payable in US dollars.  A new contract may be offered at the end of the present tenure based on the performance of the incumbent, funding availability and the Institute’s continuing need for the position. The suitable candidate will need to be able to act fast, engage professionally and build relationships across multiple cultures, besides working closely with the Institute’s Leadership Team and scientists across all our locations in Asia and Africa.

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.

Why ICRISAT?

ICRISAT offers a rewarding career opportunity in dryland agricultural research to have a lasting impact on millions of lives and communities. The state of the art research infrastructure with high performance culture, ICRISAT provides global exposure and learning. For more details, visit www.icrisat.org;

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Minimum Education: PhD in Plant Breeding, Genetics, Economic Botany, Seed/ Tissue Physiology or closely related discipline;
  • Experience: At least 13 years of postdoctoral experience including at least 3-4 years’ experience as a Principal Scientist-I or an equivalent role in the operation of an International/ Regional or National Genebank involving crops with different levels of outcrossing and propagation. 
Skills and Knowledge:

  • Expertise in population Genetics, Breeding systems, Crop evolution, Seed physiology and Pathology relevant to the conservation and distribution of Crop Germplasm including wild relatives.
  • Understanding of international laws related various treaties, conventions and protocols governing access and benefit sharing of Crop Genetic Resources, of Plant Phytosanitary regulations and of Intellectual Property Rights impacting on the movement of Crop Germplasm and Genebank operations.
  • Understanding of crop genetic diversity in collections, including the identification of gaps in the collections and strategies to fill such gaps.
  • Track record of publications in crop genetic resources in international peer-reviewed journals.
  • Successful experience in fund raising, writing of project proposals and management of research projects.
  • Knowledge of advances in genomics for enhanced utilization of genetic resources in crop improvement programs.
  • Demonstrated leadership competencies.
  • Fluency in spoken and written English.
  • Excellent inter-personal relationships skills with proven ability to organize work completion within time and meeting deadlines, to motivate staff towards performance in Genebank operations, to inspire professional staff in their own research activities, and to interact with colleagues in a multicultural and multidisciplinary environment.
Key Skills

Population genetics,

breeding systems,

crop evolution,

seed physiology,

pathology

Additional/Preferred Skills

Management,

Resourcing,

international laws,

conventions,

Treaties,

Plant IPR,

conservation

Preferred Qualifications

1. PhD,

economic botany,

seed/tissue physiology

Preferred Industry Experience

GeneBank,

Plant breeding

Why ICRISAT?

ICRISAT offers a rewarding career opportunity in dryland agricultural research to have a lasting impact on millions of lives and communities. The state of the art research infrastructure with high performance culture, ICRISAT provides global exposure and learning. For more details, visit www.icrisat.org

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