Job ID: HQ01555

Field experiments /surveys, Data collection, Co-ordination

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

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is the world’s premier research organization dedicated to improving livelihoods and nutrition, abolishing poverty, hunger, and malnutrition among those who depend on rice-based agri- food systems. In doing so, IRRI’s work protects the health of rice farmers and consumers, and the environmental sustainability of rice farming in a world challenged by climate change. IRRI’s work promotes the empowerment of women and supports opportunities for youth in an equitable agro-food system.
The World Bank supported APART project is aimed to market-led climate resilient production, postharvest management, agro-processing and agribusiness in rice-based cropping systems and facilitate agri-business investments, market access, and enable smallholder farmers and agro-entrepreneurs to produce crops resilient to recurrent floods or droughts in 27 districts of Assam. The extended phase of IRRI in APART has theme on transforming the rice-based agri-food system in Assam: a value chain approach. The project aims to create a self-sustaining agrarian society and an enabling agricultural support system for marginalized farm households of Assam and will (a) adopt and focus more on cluster strategy to generate economies of scale; (b) promote vertical and horizontal links between local agricultural enterprises; (c) enable diffusion of innovations; (d) leverage network externalities; and (e) channel public support for services and infrastructure.
Under the general supervision of Senior Specialist - Agriculture Research & Development (Agriculture Extension) and Resident Program Coordinator, the incumbent will help to facilitate the execution of planned activities in close coordination with Assam Agricultural University, Department of Agriculture and other stakeholders. S/he will help in collection of data, coordinate transfer of knowledge through different means, including training, demonstrations, and exposure visits. S/he will work closely with AAU project field staff, KVKs, ATMA, district administration, and other stakeholders including CG centers for achieving agreed project milestones. Monitor the performance of all programs, prepare and submit reports for 4-5 districts in one agro climatic zone of Assam.

This position is based in Assam and may only be filled by the permanent residents of India. 

Roles and Responsibilities

• Plan the field activities in assigned districts, organize collection of data by using appropriate and recommended tools
• Plan and organize practical demonstrations, traveling seminars, interaction and feedback sessions, field days on different agricultural technologies and seed systems, GIS activities in collaboration with different stakeholders
• Troubleshooting and assist service providers, farmer producer companies and progressive farmers through hands-on training for extension of technologies
• Coordinate with the AAU project field staff, collaborators, enumerators/ contract workers, KVK scientists, district agricultural officers on day-to-day activities, mutual activities and provide guidance as necessary to ensure quality standards
• Monitor pests and diseases and make timely requests for treatments in consultation with specialists
• Assist implementing partners for effective implementation of project activities
• Prepare presentations and reports
• Develop strong rapports and partnerships with state department, agricultural universities/centres, and service providers
• Work closely with various stakeholders including AAU, district agriculture officers, project field staff, KVKs, FPCs, Public private sectors, suppliers, service providers, seed producers, etc.
• Engagement with project objective leads, subject matter experts for field experiments and data collection
• Monitoring the progress and execution of the project activities, collecting data and organizing them in prescribed formats for the assigned districts
• Update the execution of planned activities in collaboration with partners to supervisor/project leaders/collaborators
• Support the development and use of training materials with local partnersOrganize and coordinate exposure visit, training, farmer field days and equipment demonstrations for farmers and other actors
• Convert encoded data into database and help in developing the articles for newsletters
• Contribute to the development of training materials and news letters

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in agriculture or agriculture engineering with minimum of 4 years of relevant work experience in seed systems, crop management, agronomy, mechanization, post-harvest, capacity building, pest disease in a project related to agriculture extension and research

Skills Required

Mandatory:

• Well versed in MS Office and related applications
• Good experience of conducting agronomy trials
• Understanding of experiment designs
• Good written and oral communication skills
• Team player, able to organize work independently
• Data collection and tabulation for analysis and report writing
• Experience of imparting training to farmer
• Experience of working with fabricators, service providers and farmer groups to test, demonstrate and train farmers and other value chain actors

In addition to the base salary mentioned above, IRRI also 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 of 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.