Post Doctoral Research Assistant - Molecular Virology

Reference Number: PDRA-MV-07-12

Category: Research, Science and Biotechnology
 
We seek a molecular virologist of outstanding ability to join a dynamic team of researchers working on the epidemiology, evolution and control of respiratory and enteric viruses, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) for which the group is internationally recognised. The successful candidate will support studies relating to molecular and immuno-epidemiology, transmission dynamics, genetic; antigenic diversity, and evolution of a range of viruses. We require post-doctoral level support in relevant molecular biological techniques such as quantitative real time PCR, sequencing and phylogenetics, protein and peptide synthesis and expression. We are looking for an individual with the capacity to support on-going studies and, importantly, aptitude to develop independent lines of enquiry. Priority will be given to candidates from Kenya or the East Africa Region. This is a two year contract in the first instance.

Principle duties and responsibilities:

Provide leadership in all molecular virology activities of the VEC groupWork closely with the lab manager in operating molecular biology facilityProvide technical support and guidance in molecular biological techniques operated by the research group to technical and research staff involved, including troubleshootingDevelop and implement new molecular-based assays, eg quantitative real time PCRUndertake tasks including primer/probe design, cloning, sequencing and protein expressionSupport viral screen of archived and prospective nasal specimens, including training of staffExtend ongoing investigations of the molecular epidemiology of RSV, adenoviruses, human metapneumovirus, influenza viruses and coronaviruses, etcDevelop Group’s interest in Next Generation Sequencing using in-house Ion-Torrent technologyConduct RSV immuno-epidemiology based on strain specific peptidesRepresent the group at Cluster and Programme level, including committee membershipCoordinate group’s involvement in seminar series, journal clubs and lab managementWrite protocols for scientific/ethical/funder review, reports and scientific papersEducation, experience and skills:

Essential:         

PhD in Molecular VirologyExperience in PCR, cloning and sequencingAbility to work well within a teamExcellent communication skills both oral and writtenAptitude for scientific independence and leadershipBioinformatics expertiseStudent supervisionExperience in writing funding applicationsApplication procedure:

Click here to visit the KEMRI career site and apply online

To apply for this post you must be a registered user. Log into your account then go to Vacancies, view the post and click on the button: "Apply for this job".  Please attach also a full academic CV and covering letter describing why you wish to be considered for the position, together with your career aspirations.

All applicants are required to state thier current/last salary.

Applicants must supply an email and telephone contact that will be used when offering interviews. The application closing date is 29th August 2012. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

For further information on the appointments contact James Nokes (jnokes@kilifi.kemri-wellcome.org)

KEMRI-Wellcome Trust Research Programme (KWTRP) is an equal opportunity employer.  Direct or indirect canvassing will lead to automatic disqualification.  KWTRP does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview, meeting, processing, training or any other fees).

Post Doctoral Scientist: Landscape Modeling 

The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) – a member of the CGIAR Consortium – develops technologies, innovative methods, and new knowledge that better enable farmers, especially smallholders, to make agriculture competitive and profitable as well as sustainable and resilient. 

Headquartered near Cali, Colombia, CIAT conducts research for development in tropical regions of Latin America, Africa, and Asia. http://www.ciat.cgiar.org/
CGIAR is a global research partnership for a food secure future. Its science is carried out by the 15 research centers of the CGIAR Consortium in collaboration with hundreds of partner organizations. http://www.cgiar.org/ The CGIAR has a portfolio of global research programs to implement a recently agreed strategy of research for development.  Key areas within the strategy and the portfolio are farming systems intensification, reducing risk for vulnerable populations, and sustainable management of natural resources in landscapes to benefit the poor.
The Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Institute (TSBF) joined CIAT in 2001, and since then has grown and evolved to become one of the three research areas of CIAT. Taking forward the original focus of TSBF, scientists at CIAT are working at the interface between agriculture and ecology to achieve durable food security, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, but with a global agenda. CIAT’s  soils research is extremely well placed to contribute in the reformed CGIAR.  To build up the momentum of this work, CIAT is recruiting new members for its soils research team.

CIAT is looking for a landscape modeler to work on integrating a variety of data and information into a coherent set of analytical landscapes by applying a unified methodology across a range of study sites. CIAT has numerous on-going and completed projects that focus on improving productivity of smallholder farmers and communities managing agroecosystems. 

The post doctoral scientist will apply landscape modeling tools in a set of study landscapes across the range of geographies and developmental contexts representing rainfed farming systems in Latin America, Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

The new CGIAR Research Program Water, Land and Ecosystems takes a landscape and basin perspective on agriculture – environment interactions to understand interventions that can improve landscape functioning overall in terms of providing ecosystem services directly to people, and indirectly to support agricultural communities.  The candidate will contribute to this program. 

The Post Doc will need to apply skills in landscape, eco-hydrological and/or ecosystem services modeling and will work with scientists from CIAT and other CGIAR Centers in an integrated interdisciplinary project.  The position will be based in Nairobi, Kenya, with possibility to work also in Latin America and Southeast Asia.
 

Contribute expertise and research innovation on landscape modeling, within the context of on-going initiatives in collaboration with senior scientists.Publish results in peer reviewed journals.Supervise technical staff.Engage with partners to learn and disseminate knowledge.Support knowledge sharing and communications efforts.A PhD in Landscape Ecology, Geography, Remote Sensing and Spatial Modeling, or related discipline.At least two years of relevant research experience in landscape modeling applications relevant to meso-scale planning, systems diagnosis, or scenario development.Share commitment and passion for our mission.Pro-active researcher with demonstrated interest in and ability to publish in peer reviewed international journals. Capacity/willingness for field work.Proven interpersonal skills and ability to work with diverse teams representing different cultural and professional backgrounds.Willingness to live and work in developing countries.Excellent writing skills and able to write clearly and concisely in English for a wide range of audiences.The Post Doctoral Scientist will report to a Senior Scientist in the Soils Research Area. S/he will be based in Nairobi, Kenya and the contract will be for an initial 2 year period, subject to a probation period of six (6) months. CIAT offers internationally competitive salary and benefits packages. CIAT is an equal opportunity employer, and strives for staff diversity in gender and nationality. Female candidates from Latin America, Africa, and Asia are encouraged to apply.
Applicants are invited to send a cover letter illustrating their suitability for the above position against the listed qualifications, competencies, skills together with a detailed curriculum vitae, including names and addresses of three referees knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience. All correspondence should be addressed to the CIAT Human Resources Office to Catalina Montoya (c.m.ruiz@cgiar.org) and Alice Kareri (a.kareri@cgiar.org) and should clearly indicate “Landscape Modeling” on their application letters or email submissions.
   
Closing date for applications: 15 June 2012

Post Doctoral Scientist: Soils and Land Information

The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) – a member of the CGIAR Consortium – develops technologies, innovative methods, and new knowledge that better enable farmers, especially smallholders, to make agriculture competitive and profitable as well as sustainable and resilient. 

Headquartered near Cali, Colombia, CIAT conducts research for development in tropical regions of Latin America, Africa, and Asia. http://www.ciat.cgiar.org/
CGIAR is a global research partnership for a food secure future. Its science is carried out by the 15 research centers of the CGIAR Consortium in collaboration with hundreds of partner organizations. http://www.cgiar.org/ The CGIAR has a portfolio of global research programs to implement a recently agreed strategy of research for development.  Key areas within the strategy and the portfolio are farming systems intensification, reducing risk for vulnerable populations, and sustainable management of natural resources in landscapes to benefit the poor.
The Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Institute (TSBF) joined CIAT in 2001, and since then has grown and evolved to become one of the three research areas of CIAT. Taking forward the original focus of TSBF, scientists at CIAT are working at the interface between agriculture and ecology to achieve durable food security, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, but with a global agenda. CIAT’s  soils research is extremely well placed to contribute in the reformed CGIAR.  To build up the momentum of this work, CIAT is recruiting new members for its soils research team.
CIAT is looking for a Soil Scientist to work on developing and delivering soil and land information relevant to policy and decision makers. In the rapidly changing contexts of Southeast Asia, development projects and programs forge ahead without adequate understanding of the state of natural resources or the impacts multiple interventions will have on the quality and access to those resources for farmers. In sub-Saharan Africa, CIAT has lead a multi-country program to improve the quality and delivery of soil and land information for a variety of development needs.  The post doc will use a range of methods including those developed in the African Soil Information Service (AfSIS) project, and apply them in Southeast Asia embedded in on-going development programs, to ensure that products suit the needs of development actors, and ultimately farmers. 

The new CGIAR Research Program Water, Land and Ecosystems takes a landscape and basin perspective on agriculture – environment interactions to understand interventions that can improve landscape functioning overall in terms of providing ecosystem services directly to people, and indirectly to support agricultural communities.  The candidate will contribute to this program. 

The Post Doc will need to apply skills from natural resources management, ecological modeling, and information systems management, and will work with other scientists in integrated interdisciplinary projects. 

Role and Responsibilities

Contribute expertise and research innovation in the area of soil and land information systems and deliver, within the context of on-going initiatives in collaboration with senior scientistsPublish results in peer reviewed journalsCoordinate field sampling and trainingsEngage with partners to learn and disseminate knowledgeSupervise technical staff if requestedSupport knowledge sharing and communications efforts A PhD in Soil Science, Landscape Ecology, Pedology, Remote Sensing and Spatial Modeling, or related disciplines.At least two years of relevant research experience in landscape modeling applications or resource management relevant to meso-scale planning, systems diagnosis, or scenario development.Share commitment and passion for our mission. Pro-active researcher with demonstrated interest in and ability to publish in peer reviewed international journals. Capacity/willingness for field work.Proven interpersonal skills and ability to work independently and with diverse teams representing different cultural and professional backgrounds.Willingness to live in Vietnam or Laos and travel within and to other regions.Excellent writing skills and able to write clearly and concisely in English for a wide range of audiences.The Post Doctoral Scientist will report to a Senior Scientist in the Soils Research Area. S/he will be based in Vientian, Laos or Hanoi, Vietnam and the contract will be for an initial 2 year period, subject to a probation period of six (6) months. CIAT offers internationally competitive salary and benefits packages. CIAT is an equal opportunity employer, and strives for staff diversity in gender and nationality. Female candidates from Latin America, Africa, and Asia are encouraged to apply.
 Applicants are invited to send a cover letter illustrating their suitability for the above position against the listed qualifications, competencies, skills together with a detailed curriculum vitae, including names and addresses of three referees knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience. All correspondence should be addressed to the CIAT Human Resources Office to Catalina Montoya (c.m.ruiz@cgiar.org) and Chanthana Douangsavanh (c.douangsavanh@cgiar.org) and should clearly indicate “Soils and land Information” on their application letters or email submissions.
Closing date for applications: 15 June 2012

Vacancy Number: PD/UG/MK05/08/11

Total salary & benefit package: circa USD 65000 (tax free*) Base salary from USD 35,000-USD 40,000 per annum plus benefits

The Post Doctoral Fellow will work in a project to develop smallholder pig production systems and their associated value chains in Uganda and will report to the Project Manager.

The Fellow will be part of a team designing and evaluating a pilot intervention to improve livelihoods, incomes and assets of smallholder households by raising productivity of their pig enterprises based on a package of technical and organizational strategies.

S/he will contribute to designing and working closely with national research and development partners to implement the research, with specific responsibility for assessing the financial, economic and social feasibility and appropriateness of the models being piloted, including monitoring of gender dimensions, farmer business and organizational strategies and potential constraints to adoption.

The Fellow will also apply existing and new conceptual value chain frameworks to identify pro-poor opportunities for improving the associated value chains. S/he will be expected to actively contribute to preparing strategic communication products including journal publications.

Specific qualifications:

An understanding of innovation systems and value chain analysis.Experience in research design, use of quantitative and qualitative analytic methods (including econometric and mathematical modeling),Experience with supervising/coordinating collection and analysis of gender-disaggregated data related to agricultural households and associated value chainsA Ph.D obtained not more than 5 years ago in the field of Agricultural Economics, Economics, Agribusiness, or related disciplineProven analytical and research skills through a track record of scientific publications, policy documents and related correspondence.Experience of working in developing countries, especially sub-Saharan Africa, with strong preference given to livestock-related experienceDemonstrated ability to work in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams, and strong interpersonal and partnership management skillsStrong English language skills, both written and spoken (proficiency in other languages is an advantage);A passion for the generation of scientific knowledge that advances pro-poor development.Post location: The position is to be based in Kampala, Uganda.

Position level: The position is a Post doctoral level, job grade 4A.

Duration: 2 years with the possibility of renewal for 1 year

Salary: ILRI offers a competitive international salary/benefits package. Base salary from USD 35,000-USD 40,000 per annum. *Tax free but subject to compliance with the 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.

Applicants for any of the above positions should send a cover letter identifying the position for which they are applying, and explaining their interest, what they can bring to the job and indicating earliest availability.

They should also send a curriculum vitae and the names and addresses (including telephone and email) of three referees who are knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience to email: ilri-economists@cgiar.org by 30th September, 2011.

ILRI is an equal opportunity employer. Suitably qualified women and developing country citizens are particularly encouraged to apply.

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