Senior Scientist – Digital Agriculture

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) seeks to recruit an experienced and motivated scientist to advance ILRI’s research on the use of digital innovations for transforming smallholder agriculture and livestock systems under a climate crisis. Based either in Addis, Ethiopia or Dakar, Senegal, the candidate will play an important role in contributing to ILRI’s digital transformation efforts as well as undertake applied research in this emerging area in collaboration with partners and stakeholders. The candidate will also play a pivotal role in efforts to scale these digital innovations by working with governments, policy makers, the private sector and other partners.

The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) works to improve food and nutritional security and reduce poverty in developing countries through research for efficient, safe and sustainable use of livestock. It is one of 15 CGIAR research centers dedicated entirely to animal agriculture research for the developing world. Co-hosted by Kenya and Ethiopia, it has regional or country offices and projects in East, South and Southeast Asia as well as Central, East, Southern and West Africa. www.ilri.org

Key Responsibilities

Digital Innovations development and deployment

• Lead and co-ordinate the design, development, deployment and use of digital innovations in consultation with various stakeholders, partners and next and end users
• Lead engagements with multi-disciplinary teams, stakeholders and partners to identify potent system transformation levers, to structure and nurture emergent demand for digitally-enabled services, and to engineer value propositions that remain fit for purpose
• Identify opportunities for/or guide ILRI teams working with National Meteorological Organisations (NMOs), agriculture and livestock departments, NARES, the private sector and other stakeholders and assist with co-design, develop and deploy digital infrastructures that enable last mile delivery of fit-for-purpose information and enhance information flows and linkages across value chains and actors
• Design, implement and refine digital services (e.g. climate information, credit, insurance, market-input-value chain linkages) that support bundled technical-market solutions that aim to derisk agriculture and pastoral livelihoods
• Provide leadership of the role of digital public infrastructure, open science, open data and pre-competitive collaboration and products may play in supporting agricultural development across regions, including smallholder-oriented contractual agriculture

Research dissemination and knowledge sharing

• Write and publish scientific papers in reputable journals, contributing to ILRI’s knowledge base on digital innovations for agriculture and livestock
• Represent ILRI in conferences, workshops, and training sessions to share research findings, advocate and establish ILRI as a thought leader in this space
• Develop and contribute to blogs, communication products as well as policy briefs that promote the scaling and adoption of digital innovations

Partnership Building

• Build partnerships with agtech and fintech, mobile network operators, policy makers, financial institutions, other CGIAR centres, NGOs and donors to conceptualize, develop and implement digital innovations in smallholder agriculture and livestock systems
• Collaborate/strengthen networking with stakeholders to Scale digital innovations in Asia and Africa as well as with institutions of repute in the global north to create north-south and south-south dialogue and exchange
• Play the role of a knowledge broker and stimulate strategic linkages within the innovation ecosystem

Support project management and funding raising

• Lead and/or support in activities connected with developing project plans, costing, business cases and other material for optimizing new digital tool development, enhancement and maintenance
• Actively contribute to the development of fund raising that supports ILRI’s agenda on digital innovations

Capacity building and mentoring

• Identify and deliver training/capacity building programs in target countries on development and maintenance of digital platforms in consultation with various stakeholders
• Co-supervise PhD and MSc students on relevant topics
• Mentor and support research technicians involved in field data collection, analysis, and dissemination of findings

This position requires a proactive, collaborative, and impact-driven individual with the skills to advance ILRI’s digital transformation agenda and contribute to overarching goal of leveraging digital innovations for resilience-building for communities in Asia and Africa.

Requirements

• PhD in agriculture/environmental sciences/computer/geospatial sciences with over 15 years of experience in the capacity of technical project/program management and leading solution architecture development for large complex distributed systems. Experience in technical management roles is desirable as well as a degree in Business Administration
• Experience in GIS/geospatial technologies, climate information services is an added advantage.
• Proven ability to design, develop and deploy digital innovations for crop-livestock and pastoral systems.
• Track record of writing and publishing scientific papers, as well as preparing and delivering presentations for conferences, workshops, and stakeholder engagements.
• Experience in creating communication products such as research and policy briefs that highlight the potential as well as pitfall of digitalization of agriculture and livestock systems.
• Experience in grant and proposal writing, engaging with donors and stakeholders, and mobilizing resources to support ILRI’s agenda.
• Demonstrable experience in collaborating and sharing results with an interdisciplinary research team, encompassing fields such as climate science, livestock productivity, crop and soil management, socioeconomics, and gender studies.
• Experience in co-supervising students and providing mentorship to research technicians involved in data collection, field studies, and analysis.
• Deep understanding of resource poor, smallholder farming systems in developing countries, particularly within semi-arid and tropical regions, with a focus on climate adaptation and resilience.
• Prior work experience in Africa and a demonstrated understanding of the agricultural and climate contexts in Asia and Africa.
• Demonstrated experience of active collaboration or past work and understanding of private sector business models as well as ways of working is an added advantage.
• Bilingual in English and French, given the focus on West Africa.

Post location: The position will be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia or Dakar, Senegal

Terms of Appointment: This position is at job level HG 19, and it is open to both national and international applicants. The position is a three (3) year contract, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and availability of funding. ILRI offers a competitive salary and benefits package which includes medical and other insurances.

Applications: Applicants should send a cover letter and CV expressing their interest in the position, what they can bring to the role, and the names and addresses (including telephone and email) of three referees who are knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience to the Chief, People and Culture Officer through our recruitment portal by clicking on the “Apply Now” on this page. Revisions of application will start 28 March 2025, and position will be closed when filled.

The position title and reference number: REF: S/1799/2025 should be clearly marked on the subject line of the online application.

We thank all applicants for their interest in working for ILRI. Due to the high volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

ILRI does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing, or training). ILRI also does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.

ILRI is an equal opportunity employer.

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