Horticulturist And Project Coordinator, Hanoi, Vietnam

Horticulturist and Project Coordinator Hanoi, Vietnam

AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center is a non-profit, autonomous international agricultural research center with headquarters in Taiwan and regional offices around the globe. AVRDC conducts research and development programmes that contribute to improved incomes and diets in the developing world through increased production and consumption of safer vegetables. For more information on AVRDC - The World Vegetable Center, please visit our website: www.avrdc.org.

The Center seeks a Horticulturist to conduct research within the context of the Humidtropics program – a CGIAR Program on integrated agricultural systems for the humid tropics. AVRDC is a key partner along with the CGIAR Centers (IITA, ILRI, ICRAF, IWMI, CIP, CIAT and Bioversity) and other advanced research institutions (Wageningen University, icipe, FARA and Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences) in implementing this program. The program, which is led by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), is aimed at improving overall agricultural productivity, and transforming the lives of rural poor in the humid tropics region, through systems research in the framework of Integrated Agricultural Research for Development.

The Humidtropics program is implemented in four Action Areas of (i) West Africa Humid Lowlands, (ii) East and Central Africa Highlands, (iii) Central America and Caribbean, and (iv) Central Mekong. The geographical focus of the position will be in the program's Central Mekong Action Area (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam). The position will be based in Hanoi, Vietnam and will report on technical program implementation matters to the Center's Program Leader for the Humidtropics and administratively to AVRDC's Global Theme Leader – Production.

The Job:

• Provide leadership in designing, planning and testing vegetable production technologies for sustainable diversification and intensification for income, nutrition and equity that address farmers' needs in different intensification gradients in Central Mekong Action Area.
• Conduct strategic and adaptive research on vegetable production in intensive and extensive systems that include other crops/livestock technologies from the collaborating CG centers and other partners to best use of available natural resources and to ensure ecological intensification.
• Contribute in promoting vegetable production by disseminating suitable crop and varieties, ecofriendly practices for managing crop, pest, soil, and water in different agro-ecosystem with relevant local and international stakeholders.
• Coordinate research activities of AVRDC in the Central Mekong Action Area and build strong relationships with the local and international partners.
• Supervise and coordinate research activities of partners, graduate students, and consultants contracted by the Center.
• Publish results in peer-reviewed journals and influence change among policy makers and stakeholders to support vegetable production, marketing and consumption in the in Central Mekong Action Area.
• Provide related information and assist in monitoring and evaluation, preparing technical and financial project reports to donors and liaise with experts and collaborators.
• Contribute to research activities in the other Action Areas of the Humidtropics program as required.
• Contribute to administrative tasks and other duties within the project and provide project management support to AVRDC's leader for its Humidtropics program activities as required.

The Person:

Applicants must have a Ph.D. in horticulture or related subjects with at least 5 years of relevant experience in vegetable production research in East and Southeast Asia with good understanding of agro-ecosystem. In particular, applicants shall have strong skills in participatory field experimentation, experimental design and statistics, and excellent computer literacy. A track record of relevant publications in international peer-reviewed journals and a good knowledge of countries in the Central Mekong region will be an advantage. The candidate must be able to work as a member of an interdisciplinary team in a multicultural, multinational environment, and should be able to interact effectively with partners/team members as a service provider and project leader at the Action Area level. Candidates must also be willing to travel frequently in the Central Mekong region to implement program activities. Proficiency in written and oral English is required.

The Reward:

This is an Internationally Recruited Staff (IRS) position with competitive pay and benefits. The initial appointment is for three years and may be extended depending on requirement, funding availability, and performance of the incumbent. The position will be available on or before 1 March 2014.

How to Apply:

Applicants should submit a letter of application explaining their suitability for and interest in the position along with a curriculum vitae, a recent passport size photograph, names and addresses (including telephone/fax/e-mail) of three referees, and date of availability. Please send applications stating the job title by e-mail to human.resources@worldveg.org, before 31st December 2013.