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Post Doc Fellow-Cereal Rust Pathology

Main Purpose of the position
To implement research related to host plant resistance of cereal rust diseases, epidemiology of cereal rusts (race analysis, rust surveillance, pathogen population dynamics, etc.), and integrated management of wheat diseases in the Regional Cereal Rust Research Center. This center has recently been established as collaborative project between Turkey and ICARDA in the Aegean Agricultural Research Institute (AARI), Izmir. The center is responsible for analysis of physiological races of three wheat rusts, particularly the wheat stripe rust pathogen in the Central, West Asia and North Africa and Caucasus region.

About ICARDA
The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) is an international autonomous, non-profit, research organization temporarily based in Beirut, Lebanon supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). ICARDA is committed to the improvement of livelihoods of the resource-poor in dry areas by enhancing food security and alleviating poverty through agricultural research, and the equitable use of natural resources. For more details: www.icarda.org
Main Responsibilities
•    Assist in development and implementation of collaborative research with international, regional and national cereal pathology programs.
•    Participate in regional cereal rust surveillance and disease monitoring endeavors.
•    Participate in wheat rust race analysis at the Regional Cereal Rust Research Center and molecular diversity of rust pathogens.
•    Participate in regional field assessments of pathogenic variability of rust pathogens (biological Trap Nurseries).
•    Participate in evaluation of seedling and adult-plant resistance of wheat rusts.
•    Train and mentor technical staff, students and scientists at ICARDA and NARS.
•    Regular travel, mainly to countries in West Asia, Central, South Asia and East and North Africa.
•    Assist/develop research proposals for potential donors.
•    Publish research results in ISI Thompson peer-reviewed refereed journals and technical manuals.
•    Execute any other task as assigned by the senior scientist or ICARDA management.

Education, qualifications and experience
•    PhD in plant pathology, fungal population genetics or related fields.
•    Experience in conventional and molecular research methods in cereal pathology.

•    Good knowledge in fungal genetics and plant breeding.
•    Research experience in cereal rusts.
•    Excellent knowledge of experimental design and data analysis related to plant pathology and resistance breeding.
•    Experiences in cereal improvement.
•    Proven evidence of publication in ISI Thompson peer-reviewed refereed journals.
•    Ability to conceptualize complex systems involving different disciplines/ areas like crop modeling, GIS and molecular marker techniques.
•    Integrate himself/herself into an interdisciplinary team of breeders, molecular genetics, agronomists, seed technologists and others.
•    Good command of English, spoken and written.
•    Good command and proven experience with the use of database systems.

Terms of appointment, salary and benefits

This is an Internationally Recruited Position (Internationally Recruited Staff)
The initial contract will be for 3 years, of which the first year will be probationary period. Subsequent         employment is decided based on the merit and productivity of the staff member, and continued need for the position.

How to apply
Please apply online at www.icarda.org/iea/ by 31 December 2013
Main Purpose of the position
To implement research related to host plant resistance of cereal rust diseases, epidemiology of cereal rusts (race analysis, rust surveillance, pathogen population dynamics, etc.), and integrated management of wheat diseases in the Regional Cereal Rust Research Center. This center has recently been established as collaborative project between Turkey and ICARDA in the Aegean Agricultural Research Institute (AARI), Izmir. The center is responsible for analysis of physiological races of three wheat rusts, particularly the wheat stripe rust pathogen in the Central, West Asia and North Africa and Caucasus region.

About ICARDA
The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) is an international autonomous, non-profit, research organization temporarily based in Beirut, Lebanon supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). ICARDA is committed to the improvement of livelihoods of the resource-poor in dry areas by enhancing food security and alleviating poverty through agricultural research, and the equitable use of natural resources. For more details:www.icarda.org
Main Responsibilities
·         Assist in development and implementation of collaborative research with international, regional and national cereal pathology programs.
·         Participate in regional cereal rust surveillance and disease monitoring endeavors.
·         Participate in wheat rust race analysis at the Regional Cereal Rust Research Center and molecular diversity of rust pathogens.
·         Participate in regional field assessments of pathogenic variability of rust pathogens (biological Trap Nurseries).
·         Participate in evaluation of seedling and adult-plant resistance of wheat rusts.
·         Train and mentor technical staff, students and scientists at ICARDA and NARS.
·         Regular travel, mainly to countries in West Asia, Central, South Asia and East and North Africa.
·         Assist/develop research proposals for potential donors.
·         Publish research results in ISI Thompson peer-reviewed refereed journals and technical manuals.
·         Execute any other task as assigned by the senior scientist or ICARDA management.

Education, qualifications and experience
·         PhD in plant pathology, fungal population genetics or related fields.
·         Experience in conventional and molecular research methods in cereal pathology.

·         Good knowledge in fungal genetics and plant breeding.
·         Research experience in cereal rusts.
·         Excellent knowledge of experimental design and data analysis related to plant pathology and resistance breeding.
·         Experiences in cereal improvement.
·         Proven evidence of publication in ISI Thompson peer-reviewed refereed journals.
·         Ability to conceptualize complex systems involving different disciplines/ areas like crop modeling, GIS and molecular marker techniques.
·         Integrate himself/herself into an interdisciplinary team of breeders, molecular genetics, agronomists, seed technologists and others.
·         Good command of English, spoken and written.
·         Good command and proven experience with the use of database systems.

Terms of appointment, salary and benefits

This is an Internationally Recruited Position (Internationally Recruited Staff)
The initial contract will be for 3 years, of which the first year will be probationary period. Subsequent        employment is decided based on the merit and productivity of the staff member, and continued need for the position.

How to apply
Please apply online at www.icarda.org/iea/ by 31 December 2013

We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage applications from women.
Applications will be acknowledged, but only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.