CIAT Landscape Modeling Post Doctoral Scientist Job in Kenya

Post Doctoral Scientist: Landscape Modeling 

The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) – a member of the CGIAR Consortium – develops technologies, innovative methods, and new knowledge that better enable farmers, especially smallholders, to make agriculture competitive and profitable as well as sustainable and resilient. 

Headquartered near Cali, Colombia, CIAT conducts research for development in tropical regions of Latin America, Africa, and Asia. www.ciat.cgiar.org
 

CGIAR is a global research partnership for a food secure future. Its science is carried out by the 15 research centers of the CGIAR Consortium in collaboration with hundreds of partner organizations. www.cgiar.org 

The CGIAR has a portfolio of global research programs to implement a recently agreed strategy of research for development.  

Key areas within the strategy and the portfolio are farming systems intensification, reducing risk for vulnerable populations, and sustainable management of natural resources in landscapes to benefit the poor.
 

The Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility Institute (TSBF) joined CIAT in 2001, and since then has grown and evolved to become one of the three research areas of CIAT. Taking forward the original focus of TSBF, scientists at CIAT are working at the interface between agriculture and ecology to achieve durable food security, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, but with a global agenda. CIAT’s  soils research is extremely well placed to contribute in the reformed CGIAR.  

To build up the momentum of this work, CIAT is recruiting new members for its soils research team.

CIAT is looking for a landscape modeler to work on integrating a variety of data and information into a coherent set of analytical landscapes by applying a unified methodology across a range of study sites. CIAT has numerous on-going and completed projects that focus on improving productivity of smallholder farmers and communities managing agroecosystems. 

The post doctoral scientist will apply landscape modeling tools in a set of study landscapes across the range of geographies and developmental contexts representing rainfed farming systems in Latin America, Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa.

The new CGIAR Research Program Water, Land and Ecosystems takes a landscape and basin perspective on agriculture – environment interactions to understand interventions that can improve landscape functioning overall in terms of providing ecosystem services directly to people, and indirectly to support agricultural communities.  The candidate will contribute to this program. 

The Post Doc will need to apply skills in landscape, eco-hydrological and/or ecosystem services modeling and will work with scientists from CIAT and other CGIAR Centers in an integrated interdisciplinary project.  The position will be based in Nairobi, Kenya, with possibility to work also in Latin America and Southeast Asia.
 

Role and Responsibilities

• Contribute expertise and research innovation on landscape modeling, within the context of on-going initiatives in collaboration with senior scientists.
• Publish results in peer reviewed journals.
• Supervise technical staff.
• Engage with partners to learn and disseminate knowledge.
• Support knowledge sharing and communications efforts.

Requirements

• A PhD in Landscape Ecology, Geography, Remote Sensing and Spatial Modeling, or related discipline.
• At least two years of relevant research experience in landscape modeling applications relevant to meso-scale planning, systems diagnosis, or scenario development.
• Share commitment and passion for our mission.
• Pro-active researcher with demonstrated interest in and ability to publish in peer reviewed international journals.
• Capacity/willingness for field work.
• Proven interpersonal skills and ability to work with diverse teams representing different cultural and professional backgrounds.
• Willingness to live and work in developing countries.
• Excellent writing skills and able to write clearly and concisely in English for a wide range of audiences.

Terms of employment
 

The Post Doctoral Scientist will report to a Senior Scientist in the Soils Research Area. S/he will be based in Nairobi, Kenya and the contract will be for an initial 2 year period, subject to a probation period of six (6) months. 

CIAT offers internationally competitive salary and benefits packages. CIAT is an equal opportunity employer, and strives for staff diversity in gender and nationality. Female candidates from Latin America, Africa, and Asia are encouraged to apply.
 

Applications
 

Applicants are invited to send a cover letter illustrating their suitability for the above position against the listed qualifications, competencies, skills together with a detailed curriculum vitae, including names and addresses of three referees knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience. 

All correspondence should be addressed to the CIAT Human Resources Office to Catalina Montoya (c.m.ruiz@cgiar.org) and Alice Kareri (a.kareri@cgiar.org) and should clearly indicate “Landscape Modeling” on their application letters or email submissions.
   
Closing date for applications: 15 June 2012