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RANGELAND ECOLOGIST – DRYLANDS IN KENYA


Total salary & benefits package circa USD 105, 000 (tax free*) Base salary from USD 75,000 per annum plus benefits.
The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) works to enhance the roles livestock play in pathways out of poverty in developing countries. ILRI is a member of the CGIAR Consortium, a global research partnership of 15 centres working with many partners for a food-secure future. ILRI has two main campuses in East Africa and other hubs in East, West and southern Africa and South, Southeast and East Asia. www.ilri.org.
CGIAR is a global agricultural research partnership for a food-secure future. Its science is carried out by15 research centres that are members of the CGIAR Consortium in collaboration with hundreds of partner organizations.www.cgiar.org.
The Position
ILRI seeks to recruit a rangeland ecologist to contribute to its research on Dryland Systems, within its People, Livestock and the Environment Theme. This research will contribute to developing environmentally sound strategies to sustainably increase productivity, reduce vulnerability and increase the resilience of pastoral and agro pastoral livestock-based livelihoods to hazards like weather conditions and climate change, market fluctuations and insecurity. Current research includes options to reduce vulnerability, such as early warning systems which monitor rangeland conditions, and options for diversifying livelihoods through payment for ecosystem services for biological conservation and climate change mitigation. Much has changed in terms of ecosystem dynamics in rangelands in the last 20 years, and hence new interventions such as livestock insurance and restoration of degraded lands will have unknown ecosystem feedbacks, and ILRI needs the tools to evaluate these. We also work on rangeland and climate impact models, where a sound and up to date understanding of rangeland dynamics is required. ILRI seeks someone with a strong livestock, natural resource or rangeland research background to work within multi-disciplinary teams and contribute to or lead resource mobilisation. The successful candidate will be well networked in pastoral/agro-pastoral areas, with international recognition for their knowledge in this area. S/he will have a broad understanding of livestock research for development issues.
Responsibilities
• Contribute to the assessments of environmental and ecological impacts of ILRI’s Index-Based Livestock Insurance (IBLI) program (www.ilri.org/ibli)
• Lead and manage collaboration around spectral ‘ground-truthing’ of remotely-sensed data that underpin IBLI contracts with the aim of increasing the precision and value of satellite-based measures of forage availability and quality.
• Undertake research on ecosystem services in rangeland systems, including how management practices affect the quality and quantity of these services.
• Undertake research on restoration of degraded lands under pastoral and agropastoral systems.
• Undertake research on the dynamics of change in rangeland ecology, particularly how changes in mobility and access to key grazing areas and water points are affecting rangelands.
• Work with climate and rangeland modellers on future scenarios for African rangelands.
• Lead proposal writing efforts on the above topics.
Requirements
• A PhD in livestock or natural resource/rangeland management or ecology, ideally with some knowledge of combining research on social science and biophysical perspectives.
• A sound knowledge of rangeland ecological research in pastoral/agropastoral systems in developing countries, with a minimum of five years of experience and preferably more (level of appointment will be commensurate with experience).
• A systems perspective, especially related to the challenges of sustainability and vulnerability of pastoral and agro-pastoral livelihoods.
• Experience with GIS/Remote sensing analysis and natural resource modeling.
• Good publications record with strong written and oral communication skills in English and the ability to communicate with diverse audiences.
• Ability to work in multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural teams in developing country environments.
Post location: The position is based at ILRI’s Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. Extensive travel to other countries and regions will be required.
Position level: The position is Scientist/Research Level 3 dependent on qualifications and experience. Candidates with experience and qualifications below those indicated may be considered at Scientist/Research Level 2.
Benefits: ILRI offers a competitive international benefit package. *Benefits are tax free subject to compliance with tax regulations of country of citizenship. Benefits include: s Life insurance s International medical cover for staff and dependentss Education allowance for dependent children s Housing allowance sBaggage allowance s Annual home leave travel allowance s Annual holiday entitlement of 30 days + 11 public holidays.
How to apply: 
Applications
Applicants should address a cover letter and CV to Human Resource Director explaining their interest in the position, what they can bring to the job and the names and addresses (including telephone and email) of three referees who are knowledgeable about the candidate’s professional qualifications and work experience. Email your application to ilri-rangeecologist@cgiar.org before 30 November 2012. The position title and reference number: RE/PLE/10/12 should be clearly marked on the subject line of the online application.
To find out more about working at ILRI visit our website at http://www.ilri.org/ilricrowd/
Suitably qualified women and citizens of developing countries, with experience of working internationally, are particularly encouraged to apply.