The World Agroforestry Centre, is an international institute headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, and founded in 1978. The Centre specializes in the sustainable management, protection and regulation of tropical rainforest and natural reserves.

Overview

CIMMYT is seeking a dynamic, and self-motivated professional for managing maize regional on-farm trials under the CIMMYT Global Maize Program, based in Nairobi and, and trial shipment internally and externally to relevant partners. The hired candidate will report to the Maize Seed Systems Lead, and will be based in Nairobi, Kenya with assignments at the Kiboko Research Station in Makueni County.

Duties and responsibilities

Planning and coordination of on-farm trials.

• Responsible for the on-farm trial preparation, including trial designs and planting protocol preparation in Fieldbook / Enterprise Breeding System (EBS) as per the scientist’s guidelines.
• Coordinate trial distribution to partners in a timely manner and assist the scientist to ensure the sampling protocol captures the heterogeneity of farms within target population of environments.

Data collection, organization, and analysis.

• Coordinate with partners for accurate data collection and timely return by ensuring electronic data capture is implemented using KoboCollect.
• Prepare historical ROFTs data for curation and analysis as required with guidance from the scientist.
• Assist scientist with data analysis, report writing, summarizing results for stage-gate advancement and other uses as required.

Technical backstopping, training, and partner support.

• Establish and maintain contacts with collaborating organizations and partners for technical backstopping and training.
• Assist in organizing and coordination of exhibitions, demonstrations, and field days as required.

Management of seed production research.

• Organize and implement research on maize seed production and other topics related to maize seed systems.
• Ensure timely preparation and planting of trials according to the experimental design.
• Generating descriptor data and preparing catalogue entries for new maize products.

 Seed preparation and seed inventory management.

• Seed preparation and shipment to various partners
• Ensure safe storage of seed to preserve quality and viability.
• Seed inventory management at duty station.

Inbred line nursery planting & management.

• Organize and implement seed increase nurseries in association with other staff members.
• Assist with preparation of nurseries, field preparation, planting, field management, data collection and organization, pollination, harvesting, handling, and safe storage according to instructions.
• Increase of different classes of seeds in isolation fields, through activities such as field preparation, planting, field management, harvesting, processing, handling, and seed storage
• Ensure shelling of inbred lines is carried out carefully to avoid seed mixture.
• Ensure inbred line parents of stage 3 hybrids are planted for line purification, QC, and genotyping.

Other.

• Assist other CIMMYT maize breeding staff when work priorities dictate or when not busy with his/her specific responsibilities.
• Any other responsibilities and miscellaneous tasks as required and as assigned by Seed System Specialist from time to time.

Requirements

• MSc in Agriculture or Agronomy or Plant breeding or related field with at least 2-3 years of relevant experience or B.Sc. in agriculture or related field with 5 years of relevant experience.
• Thorough knowledge of field work related to regional crop testing.
• Experience of working on maize crop trials is desirable, although not essential.
• A valid driver’s license.