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Research Associate III
Background.
- The incumbent will provide analytical support to the research program titled “Strengthening food systems to promote increased value chain employment opportunities for youth” funded by the Mastercard Foundation (MCF) and implemented in partnership with the World Food Programme (WFP) activities in Kenya. Particularly, the Research Analyst will be heavily engaged on the assessment of using digital tools to reduce post-harvest loss in food value chains. There will also be opportunities for the Research Associate to contribute to capacity strengthening and knowledge sharing activities across research, government, civil society, and other stakeholder communities.
Key Responsibilities
- Survey preparation and implementation: The Research Assistant will contribute to the design and implementation of surveys on the role of digital technologies in relation to gender, youth, and food value chain analysis in Kenya.
- Data analysis: The Research Assistant will support the data analysis process, including quantitative and qualitative research methods, to investigate the potential of digital technologies in creating jobs and reducing post-harvest losses along key food value chains in Kenya.
- Research on digital tools: The Research Assistant will be engaged in assessing the use of digital tools to reduce post-harvest loss in key food value chains.
- Operating digital tools in food value chains: The Research Assistant will support the implementation of real-time data collection tools along key food value chains and manage the data for further analysis by the project team members and decision-making by stakeholders.
- Capacity strengthening and knowledge sharing: The Research Assistant will have opportunities to contribute to capacity-building activities and knowledge sharing among research, government, civil society, and other stakeholder communities.
Requirements
- Master’s degree in economics, Agricultural Economics, or a related field.
- At least five years’ experience
- Experience with applying quantitative research methods to large survey databases.
- Excellent drafting skills and analytical mind.
- Excellent econometric skills on cross-section and panel data analysis.
- Familiarity with staple food production and value-chains in Kenya.
- Demonstrated ability to perform in-depth statistical analysis.
- Demonstrated ability to multi-task as needed, consistently meet deadlines and manage time.
- Demonstrated professional level of attention to detail and accuracy of work.
- Ability to work independently and with initiative.
Preferred Qualifications :
- Skilled in computer programming in Stata, R, or Python.
- Experience in developing web-based or mobile applications.
- Experience in managing cloud-based workflows.
- Proficiency in a second language of the U.N. System.
Apply before 4 July 2023
Research Associate III – Agronomy
Key Responsibilities
Purpose
- Facilitate the planning, designing and implementation on the routine trials, data analysis and other research activities of projects about Rice production improvement in Kenya focusing on the development of improved rice production and post-harvest technologies and on training farmers, technicians and extension officers.
- Contribute to the development of the research projects including selection of adequate research tools and equipment, verification of suggested methodologies and establishment of parameters related to rice production intensification.
- Verification and up scaling of technologies that enhance improved rice yields in farmers’ fields.
- Oversee maintenance of the research areas, research fields and technical equipment
Engagement
- Constantly communicate with internal and external project partners and collaborators to exchange conceptual ideas and to effectively gather feedback and research-related requirements for the advancement of the projects
- Provide assistance and guidelines to internal and external stakeholders considering efficient implementation of the projects
- Constantly monitor, evaluate and provide recommendations to improve research and training activities/tasks performed by Research Technicians and contract workers in order to maintain smooth conduct of field and greenhouse trials as well as to foster a productive working environment
- Coordinate with required IRRI services and supplies to ensure smooth implantation of experiments/surveys
Delivery
- Consolidate, evaluate and analyze research data gathered from the project trials
- Evaluate, validate and contribute to the interpretation of results, contribute to the writing of manuscripts for reports/publications as well as presentations/posters for national and international conferences
- Prepare and submit updated research outputs to the Scientist in a timely manner
- Supervise and lead the maintenance of accurate data recording and updating of database for efficient storage and retrieval of information
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Requirements
- Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture with minimum 5 years work experience from which at least 3 years in rice research/development
- Master of Science degree in Agriculture with minimum 1 year relevant work experience in rice research/development Basic knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel) or other softwares
- Proven technical proficiency in conducting research experiments and field trials
- Has strong experience in field management (layout, irrigation, fertization, pest and disease monitoring)
- Proven technical proficiency in conducting farmer-field schools
- Experience in statistical analysis and report preparation
- Strong oral and written communication skills
- Strong analytical skills
- Has strong technical experience in guiding farmers, technicians and extension officers
Apply before 5 July 2023
Research Associate – Agriculture
Key Responsibilities
Purpose
- Assist in research activities related to Seed System and Product Management, including coordinating with national research partners (e.g. NARES, NGOs, women groups, and universities) in setting up trails, organizing field days, data collection, and conducting interviews based on the planned research activities and SOPs.
- Support the deployment and demonstration of various technologies both at the research station and in farmers’ fields with the aim of creating awareness and demand of those technologies among stakeholders.
- Execute routine protocols to ensure proper positioning of technologies that are ready for up-scaling and provide feedback on farmer and other stakeholder responses and learnings to the technical team.
- Support researchers and scientists in implementing surveys.
Engagement
- Provide timely, consistent and accurate information to direct supervisor to ensure smooth flow of research activities, such as farmers’ preferences, unexpected factors that may result to unexpected outcomes of field demo and trials, conflict and other issues, to ensure that research objectives and SOPs are followed.
Delivery
- Carry out regular monitoring and maintenance of research facilities and equipment.
- Lead data collection in the field across identified study areas including those being implemented in collaborations with partners.
- Assist in advising stakeholders on tested and validated beneficial technologies (e.g. new varieties, climate mitigation practices, practices that enhance water use efficiency etc.) to key stakeholders.
- Contribute to the deployment of digital tools such as seed cast to enhance efficient monitoring of the rate and extent of adoption of new technologies by farmers and other stakeholders.
- Contribute to writing reports on findings of Seed System and Product Management activities as well as other research results.
- Support in the planning and organizing of technical workshops or trainings as part of capacity building for stakeholder on Seed System and Product Management related activities.
- Perform any other relevant duties as assigned by supervisor from time to time
Requirements
- Diploma in the Agriculture with 2 years of relevant work experience
- Basic knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel) or other softwares
- Experience in rice production
- Ability to ride a motorcycle on the field and have a valid license for this category or be willing to learn it.
- Good oral and written communication skills,
- Good interpersonal skills
Apply before 5 July 2023
Research Officer -GIS
Key Responsibilities
Purpose
- Monitor the DSR effectiveness in each environment by collecting hyperspectral drone/satellite data and other field/crop parameters over the sample fields.
- Test the possibility of using hyperspectral data to monitor and characterize the agricultural management practices, DSR yield and DSR adaptation traits in hybrids and varieties in different environments
- Develop the models to monitor the environment, plant health and assessment of performance of DSR varieties at local field scale
- Characterize the variation in best practices, fertilizer practices & water use (avoidance or duration of flooding) by reducing flooding
- Develop multiple RS based indices to assess water, nutrient usage of the plants and generate the empirical equation to determine yield
- Modeling alternative ways to determine DSR growth and fertilizer and nutrient use will be carried out through usage of Hyper spectral data, environmental variables such as high-resolution DEM, climatic variables and subsequent satellite images for scaling
- Use lock step scaling of local to satellite Hyper spectral data
- Analyze the datasets, and contribute to the writing of reports, research papers and other communication material
- Manage the primary and secondary data collection process in field soil, water, weather, crop establishment methods and practices etc.
Engagement
- Acquire, process, transform, and extract information from acquired hyperspectral imagery
- Inform the immediate supervisor on the development of hyperspectral drone acquisition, image processing, and GIS based activities
- Work closely with project team members to ensure full understanding of the scope, priorities, and deadlines of the activities
- Collaborate with scientists at advance research institutes and in the private sector to develop new research products
- Assist project leaders and/or collaborating partners to define the scope of research activities
- Contribute to the organization of advisory committee, and other meetings and monitoring/ execution of actions to be taken related to their units /sub-units
- Lead the efforts on biannual/annual/other reports preparation of institute and associated projects of theme/ sub-theme
- Actively contribute to the drafting communication materials, news, bulletins, etc.
- Participation / contribution to visits, meetings, workshops, farmers fairs and etc.
Delivery
- Ensure timely delivery of processed and orthorectified drone based geospatial products to the project team
- Ensure the timely completion of high-quality deliverables
- Collect, store and curate data generated from the analytics
- Communicate research results and new ideas in a broad array of outlets, including peer-reviewed journals, mass media, policy fora as well as national and international scientific conferences
Requirements
- Master’s degree in Geospatial Science, Agriculture, Geography, Environmental Science, or other related discipline with at least 4 years’ relevant work experience of application of Remote Sensing and GIS in agriculture
- Has extensive proven technical proficiency in remote sensing and GIS with proven skills in
- Experience working with hyperspectral and multispectral image analysis
- Technical proficiency in operating drone mounted with hyperspectral / multispectral sensors, and
- Crop types mapping, vegetation phenology, cropping system mapping, and database management, analytics using physical (soil, water and climate) and farmer databases.
- Proven knowledge of field data collection and agro-management practices
- Has good working knowledge of remote sensing and GIS software, Database and software such as ERDAS, ENVI and e-Cognition and drone image processing tools like Pix4D, Agisoft and other opensource etc.
- Substantial experience in scripting such as R and Google Earth Engine
- Certified Drone pilot license
- Experience of any of statistical analysis and logical development of
- Experience working with large team and different disciplines.
- Experience with working on multiple remote sensing datasets like satellite & drone images
Apply before 5 July 2023