Job Summary:

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) seeks a qualified candidate to serve as a Research Fellow for its Uganda Agricultural Strategy Support Programme (USSP) for a two year, fixed-term, renewable appointment. Under the USSP, IFPRI supports the government of Uganda by undertaking policy research and developing practical and comprehensive conceptual frameworks and decision support systems for agricultural strategy development in a manner which strengthens the capacity of appropriate national institutions to formulate and implement relevant strategies and monitor and to evaluate their progress against targets.

The Fellow will be responsible for a) conducting research and developing policy advice in response to demand from in-country partners, b) capacity strengthening in policy research, and c) supporting policy outreach activities to a wide range of stakeholders concerned with agriculture and rural development in Uganda. The Fellow will support the USSP leader to coordinate the implementation of IFPRI's country strategy for Uganda. The Fellow will be responsible for the timely completion of research projects, actively publish papers and books, and participate in various conferences, policy advisory forums, and capacity strengthening training programs.

This position will be based in Kampala, Uganda and reports to the Director of IFPRI's Development Strategy and Governance Division. The final grade level will be determined by demonstrated experience and track record of publications.

Essential Duties:

The particular role of the Research Fellow includes the following:

- Research on national and regional trade in staple foods produced by Ugandan smallholder farmers. This will involve a combination of farm economics studies, value-chain analyses, and trade policy assessments on a commodity-by-commodity basis.

- Research on input market development in Uganda, with a particular focus on the opportunities for and constraints to smallholder use of inorganic fertilizer.

- Based on a program of work identified with national partners and under the oversight of the USSP team leader, lead or participate in specific empirical studies or strategic development reviews with research partners in the agricultural sector in Uganda.

- Capacity Building: Organize or provide support to targeted training programs, and work with both in-country staff and IFPRI staff based elsewhere to undertake specific training activities that fall within the USSP program.

- Policy Communication: Maintain active policy communication with national counterparts through participating in a regular policy seminar series, producing policy briefs and making submissions to a discussion paper series; and establish active links with various national research institutions. Peer reviewed publications are expected from the Fellow.

Required Skills:

- PhD in Agricultural or Development Economics, Economics, Public Policy, Human Geography, or a closely-related field.

- At least three years of post-doctoral experience in research on policy issues related to agricultural production, markets and trade, food security, or economic development.

Please see below for additional required skills.