The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) is an international autonomous, non-profit, research organization temporarily based in Beirut, Lebanon supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). ICARDA is committed to the improvement of livelihoods of the resource-poor in dry areas by enhancing food security and alleviating poverty through agricultural research, and the equitable use of natural resources.
ICARDA has the global mandate for large-seeded Kabuli chickpea for the developing world. Developing high- and stable-yielding chickpea varieties for different agro-ecologies in North Africa, East Africa, South Asia and the Middle East is the major responsibility of the chickpea breeder. This offers an effective mode of enhancing the food and nutritional security of local, resource-poor farming families. Besides conventional breeding the breeder will apply molecular breeding tools to facilitate the rapid development of new varieties with enhanced biotic and abiotic stress tolerance, and high quality. Chickpea breeding at ICARDA is one component of the food legume team at ICARDA composed of chickpea, lentil, faba bean and Lathyrus (grasspea) full-fledged breeding programs. Chickpea breeding is supported by a team of specialists with expertise in pathology, biotechnology, entomology, virology, end-use quality.
The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) is an international autonomous, non-profit, research organization temporarily based in Beirut, Lebanon supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). ICARDA is committed to the improvement of livelihoods of the resource-poor in dry areas by enhancing food security and alleviating poverty through agricultural research, and the equitable use of natural resources.
ICARDA has the global mandate for large-seeded Kabuli chickpea for the developing world. Developing high- and stable-yielding chickpea varieties for different agro-ecologies in North Africa, East Africa, South Asia and the Middle East is the major responsibility of the chickpea breeder. This offers an effective mode of enhancing the food and nutritional security of local, resource-poor farming families. Besides conventional breeding the breeder will apply molecular breeding tools to facilitate the rapid development of new varieties with enhanced biotic and abiotic stress tolerance, and high quality. Chickpea breeding at ICARDA is one component of the food legume team at ICARDA composed of chickpea, lentil, faba bean and Lathyrus (grasspea) full-fledged breeding programs. Chickpea breeding is supported by a team of specialists with expertise in pathology, biotechnology, entomology, virology, end-use quality.
Main Responsibilities
- Breed improved Kabuli chickpea germplasm with adaptation to developing country chickpea production systems, with high and stable yields, tolerance to relevant abiotic and biotic stresses and market-acceptable-superior quality, which have the potential to be used as parental stocks by national programs or directly as varieties released by national programs for adoption on a wide scale by resource-poor farmers.
- Develop and implement and apply state-of-the-art breeding/selection approaches, including introgression of novel genes from landraces and wild chickpea relatives,marker-assisted selection and genomic approaches.
- Keep up-to-date on developments in chickpea breeding through the scientific literature, and publish research findings in ISI peer-reviewed scientific journals with high Journal Impact Factors.
- Develop and participate in training programs for developing country partners.
- Contribute in building an integrated food legume team at ICARDA HQ.
- Develop and implement collaborative research with developing country national program scientists, including through networks.
- Produce technical reports and training material for capacity-building courses.
- Establish and/or maintain collaboration with global Centers of Excellence to review, validate and implement new techniques for plant breeding.
- Develop research proposals for funding by potential donors and prepare submissions for external, international funding.
- Represent ICARDA in regional and international fora.
- Perform any other duties as required by BIGM program director and ICARDA management.
Education, qualifications and experience
- PhD in plant breeding, plant genetics or related scientific field.
- At least 5 years of experience in plant breeding, preferably chickpea.
- Proven record of wide-scale adoption by farmers of germplasm you have bred.
- Proven plant research record of international stature.
- Experienced in utilizing biotechnological tools, particularly the application of marker
- assisted selection.
- Demonstrated ability to plan and conduct and interpret research results through
- publications in ISI peer-reviewed scientific journals.
- Knowledge of chickpea improvement research worldwide required.
- Proven record of providing training young scientists in state-of-the-art chickpea breeding.
- Proven managerial, team-building and supervisory skills.
- Excellent English communication skills.
- Working knowledge of popular computer programs and in-depth knowledge of statistical packages including Agro-base or ICIS to analyze data from the breeding program
- International experience in agricultural research-for-development is desirable.
- Work experience in developing countries is desirable.
How to apply
Please apply online at www.icarda.org/iea/ by 31 December 2013