ILRI Post-Doctoral Scientist Mitigation of Greenhouse Gas Emission

Vacancy Number: PD/MGHE/SLF/11/1212N
Location: Nairobi, Kenya

Total salary & benefits package circa USD65, 000 (tax free*). Base salary from USD 35,000 per annum plus benefits.

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) works to enhance the roles livestock play in pathways out of poverty in developing countries. ILRI is a member of the CGIAR Consortium, a global research partnership of 15 centres working with many partners for a food-secure future. ILRI has two main campuses in East Africa and other hubs in East, West and southern Africa and South, Southeast and East Asia. www.ilri.org.

CGIAR is a global agricultural research partnership for a food-secure future. Its science is carried out by 15 research centres that are members of the CGIAR Consortium in collaboration with hundreds of partner organizations. www.cgiar.org.

The Position

The ILRI seeks to recruit a Post-doctoral scientist: Mitigation of Greenhouse Gas Emissions from agriculture.

Responsibilities

• Conduct agronomic and GHG measurements for different land use systems in Sub-Saharan Africa to allow the quantification of system specific GHG fluxes from different cropping and livestock systems to odevelop mitigation options;
• Conduct laboratory scale soil paramaterisation experiments to allow direct comparison of GHG emission potentials across a wide variety of soil and environmental conditions;
• Write scientific papers and prepare conference/workshop presentations describing results and their implications for productivity, GHG and nutrient management; and contribute to other communication products (research briefs, policy briefs etc);
• Develop innovative concepts and ideas for further research to address spatial and temporal variability of fluxes, and upscaling of mitigation options;
• Contribute to the effective functioning of laboratory and field facilities, and organization of training of staff in methods of GHG measurements.

Requirements

• PhD  in nutrient cycling in agroecosystems, Agronomy, Geoecology, Environmental Sciences or related fields, gained in the past 4 years;
• Demonstrated theoretical and practical knowledge of field measurement of greenhouse gases using chamber-based and/or micrometeorological methods in terrestrial ecosystems;
• Demonstrated experience of long term plant productivity and nutrient cycling field monitoring techniques and laboratory experimentation to investigate the dynamics of nitrogen and carbon in agroecosystems;
• Up to date knowledge of chemical analysis of environmental samples;
• Ability to effectively manage, visualize and analyze large datasets;
• Evidence of good communication skills, including the ability to publish the results of scientific research in peer-reviewed scientific journals;
• Demonstrated originality, creativity and innovation in solving problems and introducing new directions and approaches;
• Knowledge and experience in training of field and laboratory technicians in GHG measuring methods;
• Knowledge of spatial analysis tools
• Proven ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team and to meet performance deadlines;
• Willingness to work in the field under logistic and infrastructural conditions of Sub-Saharan Africa;
• Willingness to work in a multi-cultural environment.

Position level: Post-doctoral Scientist level.

Post locations: This position is based at ILRI’s Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya.

Terms of appointment: ILRI offers a competitive international benefit package. *Benefits are tax free subject to compliance with tax regulations of country of citizenship. Benefits include: – Life insurance – International medical cover for staff and dependents – Education allowance for dependent children – Housing allowance – Baggage allowance – Annual home leave travel allowance – Annual holiday entitlement of 30 days + 11 public holidays.

Applications procedure: email applications to ilri-PDS-mitigation@cgiar.org by 2 December 2012. The position reference number ‘PD/MGHE/SLF/11/12’ must be clearly indicated in the email subject line.

ILRI is an equal opportunity employer. Suitably qualified women and citizens of developing countries with experience of working internationally are particularly encouraged to apply.