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Wheat Geneticist/Molecular Breeder – Associate Scientist

The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) is seeking an enthusiastic Wheat Geneticist/Molecular Breeder to join as a Associate Scientist in the Global Wheat Program. The position offers an outstanding career opportunity for a researcher interested in global wheat research, and will be based at CIMMYT headquarters, near Mexico City, Mexico. The selected candidate will play a key role as a member of the Global Wheat Program (GWP) team focusing on genetic improvement and molecular mapping of agronomically important traits, with special focus on Latin America. As a Mexico-based member of the CIMMYT-GWP, the selected candidate will also work closely with partners in advanced laboratories, seed companies, and national research programs worldwide, especially in Latin America, Africa and Asia.

The primary objectives of this position are to:

  • Develop and implement SNP markers and platforms for high-value loci.
  • Conduct selected studies to determine the genetic basis of novel variation for priority traits in collaboration with biometricians and bio-informaticians and/or partner organizations.
  • Identify novel alleles not yet captured in durum and bread wheat germplasm.

The job will require that you:

  • Source, develop, implement and maintain a medium scale SNP pipeline for marker assisted selection.
  • Establish a pipeline to identify and develop primers for SNPs identified for alleles in critical genes.
  • Link trait data from phenotyping experiments of bread and durum wheat lines to high-density genotypic data. This will include haplotype analysis, allele mining, conventional mapping and association mapping approaches.
  • Work with the CIMMYT wheat breeders to implement and improve the application of molecular tools.
  • Supervise and train students.
  • Publish results in high-impact scientific journals.

We are seeking candidates with the following qualifications:

  • A PhD in molecular genetics or an associated discipline.
  • Experience in handling genotyping platforms, sequence and high-density genotypic data
  • A good understanding of quantitative and population genetics.
  • A demonstrated ability to engage in innovation and to work collegially and collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary team.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English. Spanish is advantageous.

The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, known by its Spanish acronym, CIMMYT® (www.cimmyt.org), is a not-for-profit research and training organization with partners in over 100 countries. The center works to sustainably increase the productivity of maize and wheat systems and thus ensure global food security and reduce poverty. The center's outputs and services include improved maize and wheat varieties and cropping systems, the conservation of maize and wheat genetic resources, and capacity building. CIMMYT belongs to and is funded by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) (www.cgiar.org) and also receives support from national governments, foundations, development banks, and other public and private agencies.

CIMMYT has had enormous impact in the developing world. It is the center of excellence for work on two of the three most important food crops in the developing world. Its most famous employee, Dr. Norman Borlaug, is credited by many with saving more lives than any other individual in the history of the world. Borlaug’s work dramatically increased yields of wheat in the Indo-Gangetic plains in the 1960s and 1970s, staving off starvation for hundreds of millions. For this work, Borlaug received the Nobel Prize in 1970. Scores of other CIMMYT efforts have saved or enriched millions of lives, from releasing disease-resistant varieties and varieties resistant to drought and heat and soil deficiencies, to dispersing techniques to reduce farmer costs and post-harvest losses. In developing countries, wheat varieties developed by CIMMYT and its partners cover 75% of the area planted to modern wheat varieties.

CIMMYT offers an attractive remuneration package paid in US dollars, with a range of benefits including housing allowance, life and health insurance, education allowance (for pre-school, elementary, secondary, and other pre-university grade levels), home leave, retirement fund, and relocation shipping assistance.

CIMMYT is an equal-opportunity employer and strives for staff diversity in gender and nationality.

Apply online no later than August 17th, 2012.

At www.cimmyt.org, click on “About us – Job Opportunities- Position” - 2012-35, please complete the online application, including your cover letter, competencies and experience for the position, and a detailed CV/resume.

For further information, contact Dr. Susanne Dreisigacker, Wheat Molecular Breeding s.dreisigacker@cgiar.org or the Human Resources Office, jobs-cimmyt@cgiar.org.

Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.