The International Potato
Center (CIP) seeks a highly talented Research
Associate for
the CIP Sub Saharan Africa Regional Office in Nairobi.
Ref.:2016/033/NRS/SSA
The Center: CIP is a not-for-profit international agricultural
research-for-development organization with a focus on potato, sweetpotato, and
Andean roots and tubers. Its vision is of roots and tubers improving the lives
of the poor.
He/She will be responsible to
test the capacity of two candidate genes to confer resistance to the Bacterial
Wilt (BW) disease when introduced into potato by genetic engineering.
BW is one of the most
damaging disease in tropical regions of the potato and force farmers to apply
long rotations using less profitable crops or to take risks of losses due to BW
disease.
Duties and Accountabilities:
- Acquire the
pflp gene construct, verification, and transfer into Agro strain EHA105;
- Develop the
pflp and hrap gene construct, verification, and transfer into Agro strain
EHA105;
- Propagate
Shangi potato variety in vitro for agro-infection;
- Agro-infect and
select on km media of up to 30 putative transgenic events per gene
constructs;
- Confirm the
transgenic events by PCR and calli induction on high km-media;
- Identify the
top 5 high expressers by qRT-PCR using leaves;
- Develop
bacterial wilt bio-assays;
- Propagate the
top 5 high expressers and non-transgenic Shangi plants;
- Perform
bio-assays using artificial infection of potato plants using 2 strains, 2
inoculum doses, and 10 repetitions in the biosafety greenhouse and other
biosafety approved facilities.
Selection Criteria:
- At least a
Bachelor of Science in Biology;
- 2-3 years of
laboratory experience in molecular biology and tissue culture;
- Familiar with
PRC, RT-PCR, Southern blotting, and basis of bioinformatics;
- Preferably,
previous experience with one of CIP’s mandate crops;
- Good
interpersonal relationship skills and communication abilities;
- Be a Kenyan
citizen.
Conditions: This is a Nationally Recruited Staff position (NRS). The
employment contract will be for a two-year term (with a three-month probation
period) with the possibility of renewal, subject to performance and
availability of funding.
Applications: Applicants CLICK HERE to apply should apply online through CIP’s Job Opportunities website (http://cipotato.org/open-vacancies/), including a cover letter, a full C.V with the names and contact information of three references that are knowledgeable of the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience.
Screening of applications
will begin on 10 October, 2016 and will continue until the post is
filled.
Only short listed candidates
will be contacted.
Learn more about CIP by accessing
our web site athttp://www.cipotato.org.
CIP is an equal opportunity
employer.