Job Description

Report to: Senior Agriculture Officer \xe2\x80\x93 Odisha Projects

Location: Odisha, India/Any of ICARDA\xe2\x80\x99s India duty stations (as per project requirements)

Main purpose of position

The National Associate-Agronomist will support project activities outlined in the project document and guide on-farm demonstration, good agronomic practices (GAP), and post-harvest management of the production.

The successful candidate will be expected to work with multidisciplinary projects and cross-cutting project teams and responsibilities as assigned by the Team Leader-Odisha Projects and Regional Coordinator, SACRP.

About ICARDA

The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) is a treaty-based international non-profit research organization supported by CGIAR. ICARDA\xe2\x80\x99s mission is to reduce poverty, enhance food, water, and nutritional security, as well as environmental health in the face of global challenges including climate change. We do this through innovative science, strategic partnerships, linking research to development and capacity development that take into account gender equality and the role of youth in transforming the dry areas. ICARDA works in partnership with governments, universities, civil society, national agricultural research organization, other CGIAR Research Centers, and the private sector. With its temporary Headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon, ICARDA operates in regional and country offices across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. For more information:

All CGIAR Centers are currently engaged into a reform process (\xe2\x80\x9cOne CGIAR\xe2\x80\x99\xe2\x80\x9d) that will help ICARDA and CGIAR achieve better impact through more strategically integrated research, unified governance, an integrated structure and new research modalities across participating Research Centers. This transformation is supported by CGIAR donors who have committed to increased funding as a result of these reforms.

Main responsibilities

• Develop, monitor, and evaluate research trials on food legumes as well as other potential rotation crops at the project sites in Odisha.
• Provide technical support and guidance to the project teams/farmers for implementation of agronomic practices.
• Evaluate rhizobia species in food legumes and identify superior strains for use in production of inoculants and agronomic practices for higher nitrogen fixation.
• Identify, verify, and implement modern agronomy methodologies and approaches for grain legume production that could be adaptable to smallholder farmers.
• Develop strategies for weed control, including parasitic weeds, and integrated nutrient management for profitable crop production while conserving natural resource base and protecting the environment.
• Conduct research on dryland agronomy to increase and sustain crop yields and systems productivity, with special emphasis on conservation agriculture, crop diversification, and integrated crop management practices.
• Participate in training activities in cooperation with other programs in ICARDA, NARS partners, and advance research institutions.
• Publish in ISI referred journals with focus on conservation agriculture and intensification of legume production systems.
• Represent ICARDA in regional and international forums as and when required by Regional Coordinator \xe2\x80\x93 SCARP and Senior Agriculture Officer \xe2\x80\x93 Odisha Projects.

Requirements

Education, qualifications, and experience

• PhD in agronomy, soils, crops, or related field with at least 5 years of work experience or M.Sc. (Ag) in agronomy with at least 7 years of work experience on agronomy and related research in National or International agricultural centers.
• Demonstrated practical experience in cropping systems research and especially in conservation agriculture based agronomic practices.
• Capacity to plan, design and implement large scale research and demonstration program.
• Computer skills, with an understanding of statistical design and analysis of field research trials.
• Experience with farm machinery, soil fertility, weed management, crop simulation modelling, and/or crop-livestock interact.
• Excellent communication skills in spoken and written English and Hindi and knowing Odia language would be an added advantage.
• Ability to work in a multidisciplinary and multicultural work environment.
• Willingness to travel extensively within India for project needs.

Benefits

Terms of appointment, salary, and benefits

The successful candidate will be offered a one-year consultancy contract on a full-time basis, renewable subject to continued need for the position, availability of fund and satisfactory performance. The first 6 months will be a probationary period.

The Incumbent will be provided with a monthly honorarium.

ICARDA is committed to increasing women representation in its workforce and strongly encourages applications from women.

Applications will be acknowledged, but only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

ICARDA