Post Doctoral Fellow, Agrobiodiversity and Ecosystem Services Programme

Title  :  POST DOCTORAL FELLOW, A&ESP, MPL-FR  
Description  :  Bioversity International is a research-for-development organization working with partners worldwide to use and conserve agricultural and tree biodiversity for improved livelihoods, nutrition, sustainability and productive and resilient ecosystems. Bioversity International is a member of the CGIAR Consortium, a global research partnership for a food secure future. Bioversity International has more than 300 staff and scientists’ worldwide working with almost 700 partners. For further information on Bioversity International, consult the Web page at http://www.bioversityinternational.org 
  
Position Description  :  Click Here
  
Job Description  :  Under the supervision of the Leader of the Agrobiodiversity and Ecosystem Services Programme, the incumbent will provide technical support in planning, executing and monitoring of the new two-year Agriculture and Conservation initiative which aims to gather and present a synthesis of high-quality scientific evidence that addresses the urgent need for collaboration between the agriculture and conservation agendas. The Fellowship will focus on the contribution of biodiversity conservation to farming systems and food security, and the contribution of agriculture to biodiversity conservation. Both goals are tightly bound: our vision is of an agriculture that is environmentally sustainable, multifunctional, and productive. The initiative, which is supported by a broad coalition of leading scientists in agriculture and conservation from major global institutions, will inform and influence the actions of key policy and decision makers in conservation, agriculture, food agencies and major donors on the use and conservation of biodiversity across a range of agricultural landscapes. Specifically the program aims to provide the evidence base and influence international bodies including the UN Sustainable Development Goals, IPBES and Future Earth. It will elucidate biodiversity conservation’s contribution to the well-being of farming communities in tackling food and nutrition security, as well as protecting nature and avoiding catastrophic environmental change. The incumbent will have be located at Bioversity’s office in Montpellier, France. Main responsibilities More specifically, the incumbent will: • Support the organization of a multi-institutional initiative of agriculture and conservation specialists, defining how agricultural systems and landscapes can be managed for biodiversity conservation, and how agriculture and farming communities can benefit from conservation; • Research, develop and refine high quality approaches to an array of donors in support of the initiative in consultation with the Programme Leader and the Bioversity’s development team; • Coordinate and lead a synthesis and/or meta-analysis charting a path for how an integrated approach to agriculture and conservation would contribute to meet current pressing development and environmental challenges with the Programme Leader; • Support the collation and preparation of Bioversity’s leadership inputs to international meetings, including contacting and coordinating the participation of global thought leaders and scientific leaders in various meetings; • Provide general project management support to Bioversity’s Initiative on Agricultural and Conservation; • Provide input into planning and organizing events associated with the Initiative.
  
Minimum Qualification & Experience  :  Essential qualifications & competencies: • Ph.D. in ecology, agriculture or equivalent qualifications. • Current and up-to-date knowledge on international scientific dialogues regarding agriculture and conservation – some keywords: agrobiodiversity and biodiversity, ecosystem services, socio-ecological systems, agroecology. • Experience in developing and writing successful research proposals. • Experience with implementation of research projects. • Excellent command of the English language, both written and spoken. • Proficiency in relevant software packages (R, ArcGIS or other spatial software, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint). Desirable qualifications and competencies: • Experience in an international working environment. • Experience managing and coordinating multi-partner and interdisciplinary groups. • Experience of fundraising.
  
Skills & abilities  :  • Open attitude and approach to considering global challenges and an ability to think across disciplinary boundaries. • Rigorous ability to analyse scientific data, technical ability to conduct meta-analyses. • Excellent writing and synthesizing skills with the ability to write clear and concise scientific papers and proposals. • Well developed communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to motivate, catalyze and promote engagement through negotiation and consensus-building and work within multi-disciplinary teams and in multi-cultural environments. • Drive and entrepreneurship to pursue and develop new research opportunities.
  
Personal Qualities  :  • Commitment and dedication to Bioversity and CGIAR visions of mobilizing biodiversity for improving the lives of the rural poor.
  
Terms & Conditions  :  This is a Post Doctoral Fellowship for a period of two years. Bioversity offers an attractive stipend and contributions to the costs of living, inclusion in Bioversity insurance schemes, contribution to retirement fund, and leave provisions. Additional benefits apply for Post Doctoral Fellows recruited from outside France.
  
Applications  :  Please apply online through Bioversity Job Opportunities web page (http://www.bioversityinternational.org/about_us/job_opportunities.html) by clicking the “Apply” button, completing the online application and attaching the required information. The closing date for the vacancy is 31 July 2013 (applications will continue to be accepted and reviewed until the position is filled, which can be monitored in the Job Opportunity section of our web site). Please note that in the application you are required to provide the contact details (address, telephone number and e-mail address) of at least three referees, which Bioversity will contact for short listed applicants.