(RFP300375) Research Specialist

Research Specialist

 Crops for Nutrition and Health
The Organization   

The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people's lives. Alliance solutions address the global crisis of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation. 

The Alliance works with local, national and multinational partners across Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Africa, and with the public and private sectors. The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future, dedicated to reducing poverty, enhancing food and nutrition security, and improving natural resources and ecosystem services.

 
About the position 
The program of Crops for Nutrition and Health is seeking a qualified professional with expertise in crop protection science, image analysis, and microbial research to advance food security initiatives in LAC (Latin America). The selected candidate will support in the drone-based image analysis and annotation, metadata management for crop and food studies, and oversee high-quality phenotypic data repositories. These efforts will directly contribute to scientific publications and funding proposals.

This position requires expertise in biological research, image analysis, and data management, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of modern agricultural research. The successful candidate will bridge the gap between fieldwork, data science, and microbiological research.

Key Responsibilities 

• Contribute to developing and implementation of protocols for accurate image annotation and managing a high-quality crop phenotyping data repository.
  
• Support in drone image analysis and phenotypic data analysis at partner's site.
  
• Deliver training and create educational materials on image annotation and image analysis for local research partners.
  
• Provide support and direction for microbial isolation and propagation experiments.
  
• Assist in updating crop and food metadata, including taxonomy mapping assignments.
  
• Draft project reports and scientific publications to disseminate research outcomes.
  
• Support the development of funding proposals for new projects in Latin America.
  
• Conduct comprehensive literature reviews and analyses related to biological research.
  
• Develop and publish research articles and review papers based on lab and field study results.
  
• Conducts in-depth research and performs complex conceptual analyses, extracting valuable insights that contribute to the progress of both the project and the organization's broader research goals.
  
• Contributes to the design, planning and execution of work plans in a research project.
  
• Provides rigorous/sound analysis and timely.
  
• Conceptual input in support of a research project.
  
  

  Requirements

  • PhD or Master's degree in Crop Science, Crop protection, Microbiology biology, Agricultural science, Agronomic science, or related fields coupled with research experience on the same topic.
    
  • Demonstrated experience in microbial and laboratory research.
    
  • Proven background in field data collection and curation.
    
  • Minimum experience of more than five (5) years in data management and image analysis.
    
  • Experience working in international organizations, focusing on applied research or development.
    
  • Strong data interpretation and analysis skills.
    
  • Proficiency in web database management.
    
  • Advanced proficiency in English (oral and written).
    
  • Excellent problem-solving abilities and effective work planning.
    
  • Proven experience in authoring research and reviewing papers for high-impact journals is desirable.
    
  • Record of publications in high-impact journals is desirable.
    
  • Strong collaborative mindset and ability to work efficiently within a team environment.
    
  • Strong motivation to learn and integrate new research topics and methodologies.
    

    Terms of employment  
    

    This is an international recruited position, based at the Americas hub in Palmira, Colombia. The initial contract will be for up to two (2) years, subject to a probation period of six (6) months and is renewable depending on the performance and availability of resources. The contract will be part-time at 60% FTE.