Vacancy: Research Technician – Maize Lethal Necrosis (MLN)- CIMMYT
About the Organization: The International Maize and Wheat Improvement
Center, known by its Spanish acronym, CIMMYT®, is a not-for-profit research and
training organization with partners in over 100 countries, and through offices
in Africa, Asia and Latin
America.
America.
We participate in an extensive global
network of people and organizations who share similar research and development
goals, including the public and private sector, non-governmental and civil
society organizations, farmers, and the development assistance community.
The Position: The Research Technician – Maize Lethal Necrosis
(MLN) will provide technical support to the CIMMYT Maize Pathologist, MLN
project leader and scientists primarily in Naivasha but also in other Kenyan
field locations regarding disease diagnosis, disease surveys, implementation of
maize pathology experiments related to MLN in the green house, lab and field.
Key Responsibilities
- Pathology support for greenhouse and field
(primarily in Naivasha but also at other Kenyan field stations, as and
when needed).
- Carry out MLN diagnosis work using ELISA
- Maintain pure virus cultures of different
isolates in greenhouse conditions
- Support disease sample collection during
disease survey
- Assist with management of casual labour,
- Support the Maize Pathologist for SSA in in planning
and implementation of artificial inoculation trials, data recording, other
experiments.
- Support all lab activities
- Maintain high standards of phytosanitation in
MLN facility
- Effectively implement the maize pathology
experiments conducted in MLN green houses.
- Assist MLN field screening trials, including
seed preparation, planting, agronomic management and data collection from
field trials.
- Generate and maintain an adequate supply of
contaminant free inoculum of different strains / isolates of MLN-causing
viruses
- Provide support in other pathology experiments
outside Naivasha, as and when required.
- Conduct MLN scoring exercises, data collection
and data entry into electronic field books for trials in the green house
and assist in field trials.
- Assist research scientists in collecting
samples of maize plant parts, particularly leaves, for molecular research
as well as their labelling, safe handling, storage and transport.
- Assist scientists on other maize disease
screening trials in different locations in seed preparation, planting,
agronomic management and data collection.
- Assist scientists in training partners on
disease diagnosis and management.
- Assist Maize Pathologist in disease survey and
epidemiological studies.
- Assist with various pathological research
studies mainly on MLN and also other maize diseases as well.
Essential Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture / Agronomy /
Plant Pathology / Plant Breeding.
- A Master’s Degree would be preferred.
- At least 2-3 year experience in laboratory, green
house and field-based pathology experiments and managing agricultural
field trials.
- Experience in managing field trials (agronomy
and data collection) for a crop research program.
- Experience in maize disease diagnosis will be
an added advantage.
- Experience in handling virus isolates and
working in disease inoculations is preferred.
- Experience with maize or MLN will be an
advantage.
- Experience in managing casual labour will be
an advantage.
- A Kenyan national.
Terms of offer: CIMMYT in Kenya is hosted by the World Agroforestry
Centre (ICRAF) and is an equal opportunity employer and offers a collegial and
gender-sensitive working environment.
We believe that staff diversity
promotes excellence and strongly encourage applications from qualified
women.
This position is on local terms and
subject to ICRAF HR policies and will be for an initial period of three (3)
years subject to six (6) months’ probation period with a possibility of
renewal.
The position will be based in CIMMYT field office in Naivasha.
How to apply
Applications will be considered until
22nd February 2016.
Please note that only short-listed applicants meeting the above requirements will be contacted.
We invite you to learn more about CIMMYT and World Agroforestry Centre by accessing our web sites: www.cimmyt.org and www.worldagroforestry.org
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