Vacancy Number: RA/MK01/02/10
Posted On: Monday, 22 February 2010
Department: Markets Opportunities
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Duration: 2 years
The Africa-based, globally-networked International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) helps reduce poverty, hunger and environmental degradation by enhancing livestock agriculture in developing countries. ILRI positions its work at the dynamic interface of poverty alleviation and sustainable livestock livelihoods. Our staff work in partnerships and alliances with hundreds of organisations in developed and developing countries, including some of the finest universities and research institutes in the world. ILRI’s headquarters are in Nairobi, Kenya, with a second principal campus in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Our staff are also based in 7 partner institutions in other parts of Africa and in Asia and Latin America. We employ more than 700 staff from about 40 countries and are one of 15 centres sponsored by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).
The position: ILRI is inviting qualified persons to apply for the position of Research Assistant for its Operating Project (OP) on Innovation in Livestock Systems within the Improving Market Opportunities Theme. The operating project works at the research-development interface and undertakes research to provide evidence on how livestock related knowledge and technologies can be successfully applied to improve the welfare of livestock-dependent poor people through securing their assets, increasing productivity, and expanding market opportunities. Its research aims to find ways of strengthening capacities to respond and abilities to innovate and, strengthening linkages between research outputs and development outcomes. It helps understand characteristics of institutional, organizational and policy innovations and gender-differentiated strategies that are likely to produce equitable outcomes. It does so through diagnostic assessments and characterisation of livestock systems; action research; and learning-based monitoring and evaluations. The project works in close collaboration with other ILRI Themes and projects. There are a number of ongoing research activities and new ones are being developed.
Specific duties:

• Assist scientists and post-doctoral staff in research activities. This will include participation in the design of research activities; literature search and review; information and data collection, entry and analysis; summarizing and writing of reports

• Collating, maintaining and analysis of datasets and information generated by various research activities to facilitate synthesis activities

• Contribute towards writing of journal articles and other publications

• Contribute towards communicating research to different types of audience

• Facilitation of processes and activities to develop and maintain appropriate research partnerships, stakeholder relations and coalitions/networks within the context of research activities

• Organization and participation in workshops, meetings and conferences

• Manages administrative tasks on support of the project activities

• Performing other duties/tasks as required and/or assigned

Location: Nairobi, Kenya with some travel to areas where there are ILRI activities.
Preferred Skills: The successful candidate will have:

• MSc. or MA in one of the following fields: Rural Development & Communication and Innovation; Economics or Development Economics including Monitoring or Communication Studies, Agricultural Economics including Monitoring or Communication Studies; Development Studies including Monitoring or Communication Studies or other relevant discipline

• At least two years of relevant experience (development research, operational/action research, development project management, organizational management or other related areas) in a developing-country context

• Experience with contemporary monitoring and evaluation approaches

• Excellent analytical skills for qualitative and quantitative research, including experience with survey design and implementation

• Proficiency in statistical analysis software such as SPSS or STATA

• Research communication skills or experience with communication and popularisation of scientific outputs

• Ability to facilitate at stakeholder workshops and training programs

• Excellent communication skills, including excellence in oral and written English;

• Excellent interpersonal skills and an ability to work flexibly in multicultural, multidisciplinary teams;

• Ability to travel nationally and internationally.

• A sense of creativity and ability to work with minimal supervision

Terms of appointment: Initial appointment is for two years term with the possibility of renewal, contingent upon individual performance and the availability of funding. ILRI offers a competitive remuneration package.
Applications: Applicants should send a cover letter, curriculum vitae and the names and addresses (including telephone, fax and email) of three referees who are knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience, to recruit-ilri@cgiar.org by 5th March 2010.
The Title and reference number: ‘Research Assistant-Innovation in livestock systems Ref: RA/MK01/02/10’ should be clearly indicated on the email application.
Only short listed candidates will be contacted
To find out more about ILRI, visit our website at www.ilri.org
ILRI is an equal opportunities employer
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