Researcher, Land Resources Management International Water Management Institute (IWMI) Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

The Person and the Job:

 

If you have a PhD in land resources management or in related fields such as soil science, agronomy, forestry or ecology and wish to contribute to improving the management of natural resources in developing countries of Africa and Asia, a Researcher, Land Resources Management position with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) could be just the right assignment for you. You will be responsible for carrying out studies associated with enhancing the productivity of rainfed production systems through improving land resources management at a range of spatial scales (field to watershed); implications of such factors on the hydrological cycle; and diversification of mixed farming systems. The research setting will be at various locations across East Africa, and your research activities and expertize will contribute to offering practical solutions to the range of challenges facing rainfed production systems within the context of a multi-disciplinary research environment. The position holder will be based at the East Africa and Nile Basin office of IWMI in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, and will report to the Head of Office.

 

You will:

 

•        undertake structured field-based studies in improving the productivity of rainfed cropping systems through improved land management, and water harvesting interventions that are eco-efficient and enhance water-use efficiency;

 

o      Quantify the effects of in situ rainwater harvesting approaches on profile water uptake under a range of cropping systems, taking into account diverse crop rooting patterns with the objective of optimizing water-use efficiency;

 

o      Quantify the benefits of soil amendments on improving the productivity of problematic soils under rainfed systems and develop approaches that would promote adoption at scale; and

 

o      Generate datasets that can be used to quantify the impact of such interventions on the hydrological cycle if scaled-up to a landscape level, and assist in the interpretation of potential trade-offs.

 

•        assist in the application of geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing tools in the development of suitability maps based on physical, ecological and socioeconomic criteria that can be used to strategically target rainwater harvesting, and the implementation of conservation agriculture to landscapes in East Africa;

 

•        undertake research into improving the productivity of mixed crop-livestock systems and investigate opportunities to optimize water productivity in these systems;

 

•        assist in the implementation and evaluation of improved pasture management systems on soil ecological properties and their impact on the hydrological cycle;

 

•        assist in the formulation of policy-based instruments that can be used to inform the decision-making process in improving the productivity of rainfed production systems; and

 

•       prepare research reports and journal articles for publication in addition to conference/seminar papers.

 

You must possess:

 

•       a PhD in the field of soil science/agronomy/forestry/ecology or a closely related land resources discipline;

 

•       a high level of competency in the implementation and management of, and data collection from, structured field-based trials;

 

•       a high level of competency in the statistical analysis and associated analytical tools for field-based trials;

 

•       experience in modeling soil-water and crop water balances at the field and landscape levels;

 

•       ability to capture, collate and synthesize complex datasets in order to address real-world issues;

 

•       ability to independently design and conduct field research;

 

•       ability to work in a team with people from different cultural and professional backgrounds;

 

•       strong analytical skills and a learning attitude;

 

•       strong written and oral communication skills;

 

•       record of publications, which include articles in international peer-reviewed journals;

 

•       willingness to live and work in developing countries, particularly Ethiopia; and

 

•       willingness to travel.

 

It would be useful if you have:

 

•       a desire to better understand the land and water issues that confront poor communities in rainfed regions of the globe;

 

•       experience in assisting proposal writing; and

 

•        experience of working with existing organizations to build capacity in novel and exciting ways for a variety of skills (practical through to academic).

 

This is an internationally recruited position with a competitive salary and benefits package, which includes a housing allowance, transport, education, shipping assistance, annual home leave, retirement and health insurance package. IWMI's policy is to appoint staff initially on three-year contracts which are subject to renewal, depending on performance and the Institute's needs.

The International Water Management Institute (www.iwmi.org) is an international, non-profit research organization dedicated to improving the management of land and water resources for food, livelihoods and the environment. IWMI is a member of CGIAR, an international consortium of agricultural research centers.

 

IWMI is an equal opportunity employer and is keen to further diversify its staff in terms of both gender and nationality.

 

Please submit your application on-line at: www.iwmi.org/About_IWMI/Vacancies/ 
Closing date: 04th November 2012

 

Complete Application Form + attach your résumé + attach your letter which addresses IWMI's requirements shown above with names and email addresses of 3 professional referees, to be contacted if you are short-listed

Your application will be acknowledged automatically within 24 hours. If not, please email us at work-at-iwmi@cgiar.org