Headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, icipe was established in 1970, to address this very paradox of insects and accompanying challenges. The Centre’s mission is to use insect science for sustainable development, to ensure food security and improve the overall health of communities in Africa by addressing the interlinked problems of poverty, poor health, low agricultural productivity and environmental degradation. Since its founding, icipe has remained committed to developing and disseminating environmentally safe, affordable, acceptable and accessible tools and strategies to control insect pests and disease vectors. icipe’s mandate further extends to the sustainable conservation and utilisation of Africa’s rich biodiversity. icipe is the only international institution in Africa working primarily on arthropods. Therefore capacity building of individual researchers and institutions in Africa is an integral part of all the Centre’s research and development activities. icipe also aims to empower women, harness the youth and build capacity to use, transfer and teach the Centre’s technologies.

Overall purpose of the job

Reporting to the Head of Environmental Health Theme, the successful applicant will be responsible for:

•  Exploring symbiont biodiversity, functionality, and complexity in arthropods contributing to ecosystem services (including pollinators, edible insects, and natural enemies) and impacting on their pest/vector status.
•  Developing predictive capabilities of microbiome function in relation to arthropods and their effects in a wide range of environments.
•  Conducting multidisciplinary and integrative analysis of microbiome functions and their interactions with host and environment within the context of One Health.

Specific duties

The successful candidate is expected to:

•  Use cutting-edge sequencing and bioinformatic techniques to assess the biodiversity of microbiomes associated with arthropods.
•  Assess co-diversification and interactions between arthropods, their primary symbionts, their secondary facultative symbionts, and their gut microbiota.
•  Test transfer of symbionts between arthropod species and the role of host genes in regulating symbiosis in addition to coordination of gene expression and content between symbiont and host.
•  Assess the role of symbionts in cytoplasmic incompatibility, fitness, behaviour and paternal transmission of natural enemies.
•  Investigate the molecular mechanisms underpinning these phenotypes using a variety of techniques (RNAseq, proteomics and microbial genetics).
•  Decipher the functions of gut microbiome in arthropods, their metabolites on nutritional status, and their interaction with diet.
•  Explore the gain/loss of microbe-host association in arthropods in relation to phylogenetic history and correlate with internal and external environmental changes.
•  Assess changes in gut microbiomes in relation to changes in biotic or abiotic factors (e.g. invasion, climate and host plants) and their impact on ecosystem service contribution.
•  Develop standards, protocols, and reference materials for the microbiome research and development at icipe.

Requirements/qualifications

•  PhD in Entomology, with expertise in insect microbiome research.
•  Proven track record in the area of beneficial insect health research for development, as demonstrated by publication record.
•  Evidence of securing external funding to support research..
•  Ability to create and foster an innovative work environment, and team building to deliver on agreed goals.
•  High degree of organisation, adaptability, and prioritisation.
•  Skills in behavioural assays, electrophysiology, mass spectrometry, molecular techniques and working with beekeeper/sericulture farmers.
•  Excellent publication track record.
•  Experience in capacity building through mentorship of MSc and undergraduate students.
•  Excellent communication skills.

Reporting
This position reports to the Head of Environmental Health Theme.