Agroforestry Systems Scientist

Deadline	30 Jun-2013
Job Category	Internationally Recruited Staff
Department	WCA
Designation	Agroforestry Systems Scientist for WCA Region
Country	Cameroon
Roles and responsibilities	About the position The scientist will be an integral member of the CGIAR Research Programme on Integrated Systems for the humid tropics ‘’ (CRP1.2) and will contribute to closely linked aspects of the ‘Smallholder Production Systems and Markets’ component of CRP6 (Forests, trees and agroforestry: livelihoods, landscapes and governance). The position will be administered through ICRAF and will be based at the West and Central Africa Regional Office, Yaounde, Cameroon.  Under the supervision of WCA Regional Coordinator, the Agroforestry Systems Scientist is responsible for (i) leading the scientific research enhancing on-farm productivity of trees and agroforestry systems in West and Central Africa region, including the Humid Tropics. The task includes development of research projects and co-ordination among technical units and strengthening partnerships for enhancing science of agroforestry for better on-farm productivity in terms of both economics and environment. He/She will be engaged in the co-ordination and synthesis of related projects in WCA, mobilizing resources, managing staff and budget and liaising with partners, donors, ICRAF staff in HQ, WCA and other regions involved in similar research activities, government agencies, and civil society organizations.  Responsibilities 1. Conduct technical and social research on tree crops productivity under different management systems on smallholder farms, in the humid tropics and on the margins of forests. 2. Develop and promote management systems and tools that raise productivity in cocoa, fruit and timber, and coffee systems. Actively contribute to technical discussions and consultations in and outside ICRAF on farm management issues, farmer decision process, local knowledge and development support. 3. Publish and present research findings at local, national and international levels; e.g. in peer-reviewed journals, web-form and popular outlets. 4. Develop partnership within and outside WCA [e.g. National Agriculture Research System (NARS), universities, etc.] for advancing science of agroforestry, particularly those related to on-farm productivity and profitability. 5. Actively engage in project development (seeking opportunities for proposals, developing proposals, follow ups), especially in the area of smallholder agroforestry to improve on-farm productivity of trees and agroforestry systems. 6. Supervise graduate students. 7. Lead relevant projects and project components about on-farm productivity, profitability, local knowledge, farmer decisions, and development support and knowledge dissemination.
Skill set	Requirements  1. PhD in Agricultural Science (Forestry, Agroforestry, Agriculture, Ecology, Natural Resource Management) Technical expert on agroforestry systems and tree-livestock-crop interactions.  2. Experience in leading problem-focused interdisciplinary research and development projects (with components of agro-ecology and other natural science, rural development, resource economics, bio-physical and economics, capacity strengthening and dissemination). 3. Experience in conceptualizing farm-level production research, agroforestry technology, options, and farmer decisions mainly on tree crops. 4. Familiarity with ecological interactions at landscape level environmental services (hydrology, sedimentation, carbon stocks and biodiversity, including agricultural biodiversity). 5. Extensive knowledge of farm economics and modelling, assessment tools and methods. 6. Knowledge on local farmer institutions and knowledge dissemination. Personal attributes and competencies: 1. A minimum of 5 years post PhD experience working in the area of research and/or education in agriculture or natural resources; of which at least 4 years in developing countries, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. 2. Natural instinct for research and its application to solve development problems, with some experience in achieving impact. 3. Some experience coordinating a multi-country, multi-institutional research project. 4. Experience in supervising staff and in mentoring young scientists. 5. Substantial publishing record with publications in or related to agroforestry. 6. Good communication skills in English and French (both written and spoken) are absolutely necessary; knowledge of other languages is an advantage. 7. Well organized and able to meet deadlines. 8. Ability to work in multidisciplinary and multicultural teams. 9. Willingness to travel extensively in West and Central Africa.
Work experience	5 years post PhD experience
Advert	Agroforestry systems scientist.doc
Duty station	Yaounde, Cameroon.
Job Summary	The scientist will be an integral member of the CGIAR Research Programme on Integrated Systems for the humid tropics ‘’ (CRP1.2) and will contribute to closely linked aspects of the ‘Smallholder Production Systems and Markets’ component of CRP6 (Forests, trees and agroforestry: livelihoods, landscapes and governance).