Research Officer – Plant Breeder job at National Agricultural Research Organisation

Background

The National Agricultural Research Organisation is established by the National Agricultural Research Act 2005 as a body corporate with the mandate to provide strategic direction for publicly funded agricultural research in Uganda. The organisation is composed of the Council as its governing body, Committees of Council, a Secretariat for its day-to-day operations with semi-autonomous Public Agricultural Research Institutes (PARI’s) under its policy guidance. The Director General invites suitably qualified Ugandans to apply for the following positions at PARIs and NARO Secretariat.

Job Purpose

To develop new crop varieties with desirable traits, identify genetic variations, analyze genetic data.

Minimum Qualifications and Experience

Applicants should hold an Honour’s Bachelor’s Degree in Plant Science plus a Master’s Degree in Plant Breeding, Genetics or Molecular Breeding.

Should have a minimum of three years demonstrated working experience in a related field.

Proven record of publications in referred journals is an added advantage.

Possession of a PhD is an added advantage.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

• Conduct comprehensive literature review and update literature of major crops in the zone.
• Collect, introduce, conserve, characterize and utilize germplasm relevant to the zone
• Draw up short-, mid- and long-term plant breeding goals and objectives.
• Design plant breeding strategies for the short- and long-term goals and objectives.
• Plan and conduct experiments/studies to achieve the desired objectives
• Conduct participatory evaluation and/or breeding for other various desirable traits needed in/by (food, feed, processed products, local and/or export markets)
• Develop grant proposals to secure funding for conducting specific research programs in line with the institute’s strategic management plan.
• Develop sustainable management practices for underutilized species of importance to food and agriculture and their genetic resources.

Tenure of Office

The tenure of office is a 5-year contract renewable upon satisfactory performance.

Only applications responding to this advertisement and its attendant timelines will be received.

• Conduct comprehensive literature review and update literature of major crops in the zone.
• Collect, introduce, conserve, characterize and utilize germplasm relevant to the zone
• Draw up short-, mid- and long-term plant breeding goals and objectives.
• Design plant breeding strategies for the short- and long-term goals and objectives.
• Plan and conduct experiments/studies to achieve the desired objectives
• Conduct participatory evaluation and/or breeding for other various desirable traits needed in/by (food, feed, processed products, local and/or export markets)
• Develop grant proposals to secure funding for conducting specific research programs in line with the institute’s strategic management plan.
• Develop sustainable management practices for underutilized species of importance to food and agriculture and their genetic resources.

• Plant Breeding
• Genetics
• Molecular Breeding
• Germplasm Collection, Introduction, Conservation, Characterization, and Utilization
• Experimental Design and Analysis
• Grant Proposal Writing
• Research Publication

• Honour’s Bachelor’s Degree in Plant Science
• Master’s Degree in Plant Breeding, Genetics or Molecular Breeding
• Minimum of three years demonstrated working experience in a related field
• Proven record of publications in referred journals (added advantage)
• PhD (added advantage)