Digital Innovations-Associate Scientist

Key skills

Crop/climate modeling

Agronomy

Computer programming

Climate data analysis

Additional/Preferred Skills

Data Visualization

Machine Learning

Big Data Analytics

Preferred Qualifications

PhD in Agriculture Science

Associate Scientist-Digital Innovations

ICRISAT seeks applications from dynamic professionals for the position of Associate Scientist-Digital Innovations to innovate and lead activities of Digital and Data Innovations in the Global Research Program on Resilient Farm and Food Systems (GRP-RF&FS). The team at the Global Research Program on Resilient Farm and Food Systems (GRP-RF&FS) is actively involved in bringing innovative digital solutions to support the agriculture system. RFFS works with the national agricultural research and extension agencies, climate institutes and weather forecast centres, NGO’s and CGIAR centers to develop Climate Information Services, farm technologies and management systems such as Intelligent Systems Advisory Tool (ISAT), Next Gen climate services, Decision Support Systems based on high resolution spatial & other modelling applications around a set of crops and along value chains that are well adapted in target regions. The key scientific area of research includes climate analytics and with systems modelling to develope decision tools for providing actionable decisions for agricultural systems under Climate Snart Agriculture and other global initiatives. The scientist will play a key role in developing climate change scenarios from available model outputs, perform data analytics using primary, secondary data and other relevant approaches and procedures for downscaling climate information, and using a range of analytical techniques for understanding modelled scenario information at different scales of relevance for South Asia and Africa. The scientist will also support other related activities across other bilateral projects.

ICRISAT is a non-profit, non-political organization that conducts agricultural research for development in Asia and sub-Saharan Africa with a wide array of partners throughout the world. Covering 6.5 million square kilometers of land in 55 countries, the semi- arid or dryland tropics has over 2 billion people and 644 millions of these are the poorest of the poor. ICRISAT and its partners help empower these disadvantaged populations to overcome poverty, hunger and a degraded environment through better agricultural production systems.

ICRISAT is headquartered at Patancheru near Hyderabad, India, with two regional hubs and eight country offices in sub-Saharan Africa. ICRISAT envisions prosperous, food-secure and resilient dryland tropics. Its mission is to reduce poverty, hunger, malnutrition and environmental degradation in the dryland tropics. ICRISAT conducts research on its mandated crops of chickpea, pigeonpea, groundnut, sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet in the arid and semi-arid tropics. The Institute focuses its work on drylands and in protecting the environment. Tropical dryland areas are usually seen as resource-poor and perennially beset by shocks such as drought, thereby trapping dryland communities in poverty and hunger and making them dependent on external aid. Please visit – www.icrisat.org

Responsibilities:

• Support the development of climate risk and vulnerability analysis for agricultural value chains.

• Identify key issues constraining different Agri-Food Chains and subsectors in South Asia and Africa, and their Implications for Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Systems.

• Develop and assist in big data analytics for developing ICRISAT’s digital platform for Climate Information Services (ISAT and Next-Gen Climate dashboard) to understand temporal and Spatial Dynamics and change in crop-based systems.

• Engage with National Government and regional organizations, CGIAR Centres, private sector and other relevant stakeholders, to support development of effective climate information and agro-advisory services for farmers.

• Contribute to research and development of products on climate information services for the target regions.

• Contribute to on-going research in climate risk management, assessing climate change vulnerabilities and impacts, and planning for adaptation.

• Research on climate and crop modelling to test and design climate smart agriculture technologies.

• Assist in developing and testing the decision support tools related to climate information services.

• Conduct capacity-building and awareness programs on digital tools for various stakeholders.

• Use spatial and quantitative modelling approaches to quantify the effectiveness of on-farm scale solutions at the landscape level.

• Prepare technical/research reports, scientific publications, policy briefs, and extension materials to disseminate findings and insights.

• Any other tasks assigned by Supervisor.

Required skills

• Ph.D. degree in Agricultural Engineering, Soil and Water Engineering, Natural Resource Management, or a related discipline with a focus on climate change impacts on crop productivity. The candidate should have experience in climate modelling, climate information and advisory services, and agricultural systems research.

• At least 4+ years’ relevant experience in the development and implementation of Digital Agriculture solutions, particularly in the context of climate services.

• Ability to use climate model runs on high-performance computers and analyze the results in comparison with observations.

• Experience in the parameterization, validation, and application of crop/climate models to understand temporal and spatial dynamics and change.

• A high level of competency in the design and implementation of climate services information and predictive models of future climate.

• Knowledge of statistical analysis methods, GIS and spatial analysis skills.

• Excellence in English (both spoken and written).

• Intermediate level of R or Python programming language, as well as large data analysis tools, are preferable to analyse and automate climate and crop model outputs.

• Experience in Agro-advisory, Crop Information System (CIS) and Agronomy Data Standardization, Decision Support Tool development.

• Experience working with climate, crop, and hydrological models (DSSAT, APSIM, AQUACROP, SWAT).

• Experience in working with a wide range of National and International stakeholders and interest in working in interdisciplinary teams.

General:

This is a contractual position for a period of 24 months.

How to apply:

Applicants should apply on or before 06 September 2024 with their latest Resume, and the names and contact information of three references that are knowledgeable about their professional qualifications and work experience. All applications will be acknowledged; however, only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

ICRISAT is an equal opportunity employer