Vacancy Number: LSS/SLF/02/10
Posted On: Monday, 22 February 2010
Department: Others
Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Duration: 3 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).
ILRI seeks to recruit an experienced scientist to broaden our capacity to address issues related to the integrated assessment of biophysical, social and economic trade-offs that livestock keepers face in response to changing landscapes, climate, market conditions and others. The position will complement the biophysical and modelling skills present in the institute and will be especially concerned with aspects related to the consequences of, and adaptation to, global change by smallholders and pastoral groups in the developing world.
The successful candidate will be part of an international, trans-disciplinary team that focuses on understanding how the livestock sector is likely to evolve in the future as a result of global change. The focus of the research is on targeting options and investment opportunities for improving the sustainability of livestock systems and its contribution to pro-poor livelihoods as the demand for animal products increases. The candidate will provide leadership in assessing the household level impacts of potential livelihood strategies as agro-ecological systems change, and will contribute to ILRI’s climate change and ex-ante impact assessment work.
Main responsibilities include: Working in collaboration with agro-ecological systems and spatial analysts, global change modellers, NRM scientists, geographers and agricultural economists the successful candidate will,:

• Lead the development of integrated household-level and component (crops, soils, livestock) models for assessing the impacts of technologies or policies on natural resource management and the livelihoods of smallholders and pastoralists

• Integrate household-level studies with other modelling efforts at higher scales to upscale the impacts of promising interventions (technologies and policies) on resource flows, NRM, interaction and competition with other sectors at regional level.

• Develop knowledge on opportunities and ways to sustainably intensify mixed crop-livestock systems

• Develop knowledge on the impacts of climate change on household livelihood strategies and the resilience, adaptability and sustainability

• Develop knowledge on ways to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from livestock systems

• Contribute to scenario development and other impact assessment work in the institute

• The scientist is expected to lead projects and teams when required, and to ensure the timely and adequate delivery of project outputs.

• The scientist will be expected to engage in mobilizing resources to support research and contributing to capacity building and communication of research findings.

• The scientist is expected to write high quality scientific papers and others

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

• A PhD in agro-ecological systems analysis, natural resource management or livestock science with a focus on smallholder crop-livestock and pastoral systems in the developing world

• 5 years post-doc experience or equivalent experience and proven experience working with multidisciplinary research teams

• Proven household and component modeling skills and their applications to developing country smallholder systems. Good knowledge of a wide range of agricultural systems modeling techniques.

• Excellent knowledge of livestock and crop-livestock systems in the developing world

• Proven skills to lead and manage teams and to obtain positive results from working in diverse partnerships with national, regional and international institutions in research, extension, development and in public, private and civil society.

• Proven ability to think of, and analyze, data across temporal and spatial scales

• Proven ability to write high quality scientific papers and other documents

• Experience in analyzing spatial and temporal data at higher scales is an added advantage.

Terms of appointment: Initial appointment is for three years with the possibility of renewal, contingent upon individual performance and the availability of funding. ILRI offers a competitive remuneration package paid in US dollars.
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 e-mail: recruit-ilri@cgiar.org by 28th  February 2010.
The Title and reference number of the position: ‘Livestock Systems Scientist – Ref LSS/SLF/02/10’ should be clearly indicated on the email application.
We provide a gender- and diversity-friendly work environment, and particularly encourage professionals from developing countries to apply.
To find more about ILRI, visit our Website at www.ilri.org
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