Job ID: HQ01215

About IRRI

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is the world’s premier research organization dedicated to reducing poverty and hunger through rice science; improving the health and welfare of rice farmers and consumers; and protecting the rice-growing environment for future generations. IRRI is an independent, nonprofit, research and educational institute, founded in 1960 by the Ford and Rockefeller foundations with support from the Philippine government. The institute, headquartered in Los Baños, Philippines, has offices in 17 rice-growing countries in Asia and Africa, and over 1,000 staff.

Working with in-country partners, IRRI develops advanced rice varieties that yield more grain and better withstand pests and disease as well as flooding, drought, and other harmful effects of climate change.

Job Purpose

Assam Agri-business and Rural Transformation Project (APART) aims to improve food and livelihood security of poor and marginal farmers, including women and youth in Assam by providing and increasing access to up-to-date and timely knowledge and technologies, and empowering the farmers for effective decision making, thereby closing yield gaps and increasing farmers’ income, and the sustainability of rice-based systems. The consistent efforts is being made to develop and evaluate innovative modern and climate resilient technologies best suited for Assam environment and promoted in the 23 project districts to improve the rice based agri-food system in the state. Strengthening seed system in the state is a key objective of the program and focuses on evaluation, demonstration and scaling up of several promising climate resilient varieties and strengthening Breeder and Foundation seed chain to enhance the seed replacement rate and adoption of these varieties to increase farm productivity for the welfare of the farmers.

Under the minimum supervision of Resident Project Coordinator, APART and Scientist I – Seed System and Product Management, South Asia, this position therefore will work on strengthening research around varietal delivery programs, design and promoting models and innovations around seed system strengthening (formal /farmer managed systems), conduct large scale scientific as well non-scientific evidence generation activities, on farm trials and link those to breeding programs, foster partnership and strategic collaboration, develop business and funding and resource mobilization opportunities in the region.

This position will be based at the IRRI India Office at Guwahati in Assam and may only be filled in by permanent citizens of India.

Roles and Responsibilities

• Support with managing partnership and collaboration for research and development work around seed system and product (varietal) advancement ensuring new products as well as innovative seed system models are piloted and scaled
• Manage and pilot collaboration around seed production related institutions (e.g. farmer producer companies, private and public enterprises, processing infrastructure)
• Design and execute collaborative research to evaluate, improvise or strengthen approaches / models across various project sites in India.
• Design and manage large scale on farm trials/demonstrations on varietal evaluation and validation and strategizing and executing promotion and awareness activities and knowledge events.
• Promote and manage various extension approaches to promote new varieties, create demand and awareness as well as establish market linkage
• Promote farmer participatory and market driven product positioning, scaling approaches
• Train stakeholders like men and women farmers, seed growers, entrepreneurs, dealers and millers around seed production as well as business development aspects
• Develop multiple documents, communication materials, reports and publications (e.g. technical literature, extension materials, research literature, knowledge publications, websites, blogs, newsletters etc.) around seed systems
• Design, manage and monitor research activities including necessary protocols, research tools, data collection, analysis, interpretation and impact evaluation
• Support key public institutions like Department of Agriculture, State Agriculture Universities, KVK Systems around seed and delivery systems to strengthen public seed systems and programs in Assam.
• Review and ensure alignment of flagship public programs related to technology delivery and varietal promotion, seed enterprise and promotion in specific state seed corporations, private seed companies and also local seed enterprises (Farmer producer companies or FPOs), leveraging their product advancement channels, production, procurement and distribution channels to advance the research
• Ensure continuous engagement with partners, facilitators, enumerators for executing surveys, FGDs (Focus group discussion) and various research oriented interventions.
• Lead coordination with NGOs, Community based institutions (CBOs), women self-help groups for innovation in extension approaches, gender focus interventions and piloting rural livelihood models.
• Engage with Knowledge agencies, training institutions and technical, industry experts for stakeholder capacity building and strengthening partnership
• Manage field technical staff for strengthening outreach programs, monitoring, evaluation, action research and experiments
• New varieties introduced, demonstrated and scaled in seed system of Assam through public, private and community institutions
• Sustainable early generation seed linkage and productions systems established in state for new varieties
• Support provided for creating market linkage (domestic and export) for new products for their value chain development
• Alternative farmer led seed producing institutions (FPCs) developed, piloted and scaled through backward and forward linkages and training around technology and process
• Support provided in Business development proposals for new investment opportunities in the field of seed and delivery systems

Qualifications

Master’s degree in Agriculture Science/Agribusiness Management/Rural Management with minimum 5 years of relevant work experience around research & development work in seed systems, product management, rural innovation models, technology transfer/ promotion, or

PhD degree in Agriculture Science/Agribusiness Management/Rural Management with minimum 3 years of relevant work experience around research & development work in seed systems, product management, rural innovation models, technology transfer/ promotion

Skills Required

Mandatory

• Has strong business development skill and strategic partnership experience
• Has strong oral and written communication and scientific documentary skills
• Has strong organization and interpersonal skills
• Has experience of working with private sector and government stakeholders
• Has experience with gender and rural development approaches
• Has experience on data analysis and statistical tools like SPSS/STATA, R, STARR, Research designer software like Survey Be/ODK/CSPRO/KOBO/Survey Monkey or similar.

Preferred

• Working experience around social science, technology transfer, development research, rural development
• Work experience with international organization and area of international development
• Good understanding of seed systems and model around same.
• Experience in agriculture research for development / seed systems in private and public and community enterprise space

In addition to the base salary mentioned above, IRRI offers the following allowances:

• House-Rent Allowance: IRRI provides a house rent allowance of 40% of base pay per month.
• Transport Allowance: A monthly transport allowance is provided to NRS as below: NRS L2: INR 2,000
• Dearness Allowance: One Hundred and Thirteen percent (113%) of employee’s base pay.
• Leave Travel Allowance (LTA): One-month base pay per annum, on availing minimum 2 days of vacation leave
• Education Allowance: INR 1000/- per child per month (limited 2 children)

IRRI offers a highly extensive employee benefits package inclusive of globally-covered medical insurance, retirement plan, life and accident insurance and other allowances. Join our team and be part of our story!

Application

Please click HERE to learn more and to apply online..

Please note only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.