HIRING: Data Manager, Breeding

Note: The deadline for applying for this position has passed.

Data Manager, Breeding (Ref. No: DDG-R4D/DM/B/12/20)

Background: The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) invites applications for the internationally recruited position of Data Manager, Breeding.

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is a not-for-profit institution that generates agricultural innovations to meet Africa’s most pressing challenges of hunger, malnutrition, poverty, and natural resource degradation. Working with various partners across sub-Saharan Africa, we improve livelihoods, enhance food and nutrition security, increase employment, and preserve natural resource integrity. IITA is a member of CGIAR, a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future. Please visit http://www.iita.org/ for more information on IITA.

IITA seeks a highly-motivated Data Manager with significant experience in working with crop improvement programs.

This position will report to the Head of Breeding, IITA and will also regularly review progress with staff of the Excellence in Breeding platform.

Position Responsibilities

  • Work with IITA plant breeders and the Excellence in Breeding (EiB) platform in the modernisation of breeding programmes for enhanced genetic gain, particularly with respect to the deployment and adoption of breeding data management systems and digitization tools.
  • Help in the development and implementation of a strategic plan for adoption of software, digitization and standardized protocols for IITA, West Africa and key national partners.
  • Coordinate curation for maize and other crop breeding data to enable adoption of EBS.
  • Liaise with Biometrics and IT teams for specific user requirements and support.
  • Coordinate the standardisation of phenotypic, genotypic, genealogy data, protocols and relevant metadata.
  • Contribute to developing and reporting relevant performance metrics/KPIs for adoption of the breeding systems at IITA together with EiB.
  • Continuously improve the adoption of software tools and processes, to identify gaps to adoption and work with breeding programs and Excellence in Breeding to resolve gaps.
  • Contribute to improvement plans for individual crops and to institutional arrangements in support of plant breeding.
  • Perform other job-related duties as may be assigned by the supervisor.

Educational Qualifications

  • The candidate should have MSc in Information Systems, Data Science, Plant Breeding or related quantitative area of science (PhD preferable).

Core Competencies

  • Significant experience (5 years) working as part of crop improvement teams in the public or private sector.
  • Considerable experience of using and developing modern informatics tools for plant breeding.
  • Considerable experience in managing data from high throughput technologies used in plant breeding (molecular and phenotyping).
  • Experience of the implementation of relevant software solutions.
  • Experience in Continuous Improvement projects.
  • Experience with Project Management.
  • Ability to influence colleagues outside of a formal management structure/in a matrixed organisation.
  • Fluency in written and spoken English. Some knowledge of French would be an advantage.
  • Ability to work well across disciplines and in a multicultural environment.

Duty Station: IITA-Headquarter, Ibadan, Nigeria.

General information: The contract will be for an initial period of three years. IITA offers an internationally competitive remuneration package paid in US Dollars.

Applications: Applications must include covering letter which should address how the candidate’s background/experience relates to the specific duties of the position applied for, curriculum vitae, names and addresses of three professional referees (which must include either the Head of the applicant’s current or previous organization or applicant’s direct Supervisor/Superior at his/her present or former place of work). The application should be addressed to the Head, Human Resources Service. Please complete our online application form using this link: http://www.iita.org/careers

Closing Date: 14th January 2021

IITA is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building a diverse workforce, particularly welcoming applications from women.

While all applications will be acknowledged, please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.