Overview
The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is a not-for-profit institution that generates agricultural innovations to meet Africa’s most pressing challenges of hunger, malnutrition, poverty, and natural resource degradation. Working with various partners across sub-Saharan Africa, we improve livelihoods, enhance food and nutrition security, increase employment, and preserve natural resource integrity. IITA is a member of CGIAR, a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future.
- Job Position: Data Manager, Breeding
- Ref. No: DDG-R4D/DM/B/12/20
- Job Location: Ibadan
- Recruitment Type: 3-year contract
Job Description
- IITA seeks a highly-motivated Data Manager with significant experience in working with crop improvement programs.
- This position will report to the Head of Breeding, IITA, and will also regularly review progress with a staff of the Excellence in Breeding Platform.
Job Responsibilities
- Work with IITA plant breeders and the Excellence in Breeding (EiB) platform in the modernization of breeding programs for enhanced genetic gain, particularly with respect to the deployment and adoption of breeding data management systems and digitization tools.
- Help in the development and implementation of a strategic plan for the adoption of software, digitization, and standardized protocols for IITA, West Africa, and key national partners.
- Coordinate curation for maize and other crop breeding data to enable adoption of EBS.
- Liaise with Biometrics and IT teams for specific user requirements and support.
- Coordinate the standardization of phenotypic, genotypic, genealogy data, protocols, and relevant metadata.
- Contribute to developing and reporting relevant performance metrics / KPIs for the adoption of the breeding systems at IITA together with EiB.
- Continuously improve the adoption of software tools and processes, to identify gaps in adoption and work with breeding programs and Excellence in Breeding to resolve gaps.
- Contribute to improvement plans for individual crops and to institutional arrangements in support of plant breeding.
- Perform other job-related duties as may be assigned by the supervisor.
Educational Qualifications
- The candidate should have M.Sc. in Information Systems, Data Science, Plant Breeding, or a related quantitative area of science (Ph.D. preferable).
Core Competencies:
- Significant experience (5 years) working as part of crop improvement teams in the public or private sector.
- Considerable experience in using and developing modern informatics tools for plant breeding.
- Considerable experience in managing data from high throughput technologies used in plant breeding (molecular and phenotyping).
- Experience in the implementation of relevant software solutions.
- Experience in Continuous Improvement projects.
- Experience with Project Management.
- Ability to influence colleagues outside of a formal management structure/in a matrixed organization.
- Fluency in written and spoken English. Some knowledge of French would be an advantage.
- Ability to work well across disciplines and in a multicultural environment.
Remuneration
IITA offers an internationally competitive remuneration package paid in US Dollars.
Closing Date
14th January, 2021.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should send their Cover Letter which should address how their background/experience relates to the specific duties of the position applied for, Curriculum Vitae, names and addresses of three professional referees (which must include either the Head of the applicant’s current or previous organization or applicant’s direct Supervisor / Superior at his / her present or former place of work). The application should be addressed to the Head, Human Resources Service.
Click here for more information (PDF)
Note: IITA is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building a diverse workforce. While all applications will be acknowledged, please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
