Kenya: RESEARCH ASSISTANT

The International Potato Center (CIP) is seeking to recruit a Research Assistant for conducting applied research and management of rapid multiplication of potatoes to be based in Nairobi, Kenya.

The Center: CIP is a not-for-profit international agricultural research-for-development organization with a focus on potato, sweetpotato, and Andean roots and tubers. Its vision is to improve the lives of the poor through roots and tubers crops.

CIP is a member of the CGIAR Consortium. CGIAR is a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future. Its science is carried out by the 15 research centers in collaboration with hundreds of partner organizations. CIP is dedicated to achieving food security, improved well being, and gender equity for poor people in root and tuber farming and food systems of the developing world. CIP works with partners to contribute high quality science, technology, and capacity strengthening for sustainable science-based solutions. CIP is headquartered in Lima, Peru, with staff and activities in over 30 locations across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. CIP Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) regional office is in Nairobi, Kenya.

The Position: The Research Assistant will be responsible for coordinating and managing all potato mini tuber production from tissue culture multiplication, maintenance of potato clones, invitro screen house production of minituber, cold room storage and distribution of the minitubers.

The principal tasks and responsibilities include the following:

• Maintain an update of TC activities;
• Maintain the list of conserved TC plantlets in the laboratory;
• Maintain the movement of the TC plantlets from the lab;
• Maintain the records of all exported potato minitubers and invitro plantlets;
• Maintain the SMTA records for the potatoes in SSA;
• Maintain record of all the PIPs and phytosanitary certificates issued for potatoes in SSA;
• Manage potatoes plants in screen houses (Preparation of substrate, potting, planting, watering, spraying, harvesting, sorting, packaging, labeling);
• Supervise seed potato multiplication through cuttings;
• Plant or assist transplanting of potato seedling;
• Organize proper storage of the harvested tuber from screen house.

The successful Research Assistant will have:

• Degree in Biological/Agricultural or a closely related discipline;
• Experience working in tissue culture laboratory and screen house management;
• Knowledge on rapid multiplication technologies;
• Strong technical knowledge of potato agronomy and pathology;
• Ability to work in an international agricultural research center, interacting with its staff and partners in a variety of institutional and ecological settings;
• Strong and demonstrated expertise to design and plan screen house activities;
• Good record of publications: reports, extension documents, scientific articles;
• Aptitude for teamwork, leadership, training, and communications;
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Knowledge of Kiswahili preferred

Applicants should apply through CIP’s Job Opportunities website, http://cipotato.org/open-vacancies/, including a cover letter summarizing their relevance to this position, a full C.V. and the names and contact information of three referees knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience. Screening will begin on 22^nd January, 2016 and will continue until the position is filled. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

The reference name of the position should be clearly marked on the subject line of the email message.

CIP seeks diversity and gender balance in its staff.

Women are particularly encouraged to apply

Learn more about CIP by accessing our website athttp://www.cipotato.org***.***