Research Specialist

Genebank & Tropical Forages

The organization

 The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) delivers scientific solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity to sustainably transform food systems and landscapes, improving people's lives. Our solutions address critical global challenges such as malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.

Through innovative collaborations, the Alliance generates evidence and integrates innovations to sustainably nourish people, boost prosperity, and conserve the planet. The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future.

About the position

The Genebank and Tropical Forages Programs are seeking a Research Specialist to provide Advanced technical expertise in data analytics, biostatistics, and bioinformatics across major research initiatives, including the Low Methane Forages (LMF) and “Rumen Digital Twin Project’’ including phenotypic, agronomic, nutritional, environmental, microbiome, and metabolomic data, generated by multidisciplinary and multi institutional research teams, integrating data from laboratory, greenhouse, and field based studies to support analysis, interpretation, and evidence based decision making.

The position will be based at the Alliance’s Americas Hub in Palmira, Colombia, with availability to travel within and outside the country.

Responsibilities

  • Contribute to the design, planning and execution of multiple projects within the programs.
  • Provide technical leadership within assigned projects in advanced statistics, bioinformatics, and data science to integrate multimodal biological, environmental, and production data, enabling predictive/generative models for forage systems and methane mitigation.
  • Contribute to the development and implementation of harmonized data systems, metadata standards, and reproducible analytical practices across centers and partners, including support in maintaining project databases for multi-center datasets.
  • Provide training and technical support in data analysis, interpretation, and dashboard use, strengthening analytical capacity across centers.
  • Support regular communication with multidisciplinary teams, collaborators, and institutional partners to ensure alignment of expectations, technical requirements, and data-related needs.
  • ​Translate complex analytical results into clear and accessible messages for both technical and non-technical stakeholders, ensuring effective knowledge sharing.

Technical responsibilities

  • Develop and apply mixed, longitudinal, multivariate, and spatial analytical approaches and visualizations.
  • Build and manage bioinformatics/data-processing pipelines for omics integration, quality control, and interpretation.
  • Analyze data from in vitro fermentation assays and in vivo trials (digestibility, gas production, methane emissions, biomass yield, agronomic performance).
  • Contribute to integrated analytical frameworks linking in vitro/in vivo data with nutrition, methane, agronomy, microbiome, metabolomics, and phenotypic datasets; support models for complex datasets (e.g., metabolomics, microbiome, multi-environment trials).
  • Contributes to the preparation of reports, briefs, and publications summarizing statistical findings, and provides technical inputs to predictive models and digital tools related to rumen function and methane mitigation.
  • Contribute to proposals and funding applications focused on ML/AI, methane mitigation, and systems biology.


Requirements

Qualifications and requirements

  • Bachelor’s degree in Biostatistics, Statistics, Data Science, Agricultural Sciences, or a related field.
  • PhD or master’s degree in data science or related fields.
  • At least one year of experience providing statistical support for research projects, preferably in agricultural, environmental, or life sciences.
  • Proficiency in R, Python, SAS, and other statistical or machine learning tools.
  • Knowledge with mixed models, longitudinal data analysis, and data visualization.
  • Experience working with datasets related to forage evaluation, animal nutrition, agronomic or environmental indicators (desirable).
  • Advanced proficiency in English (spoken and written).
  • Experience working in international research environments and collaborating with diverse partners.
  • Effective communication skills.

Soft Skills

  • Strong organizational and planning skills.
  • Ability to work collaboratively in diverse and interdisciplinary teams.
  • Attention to detail and strong commitment to data quality, reproducibility, and scientific integrity.
  • Flexibility and adaptability to changing priorities and project needs.
  • Ability to follow procedures, policies, and research protocols.
  • Strong organizational and teamwork skills, with the ability to work in a multicultural and multi-institutional environment.


Benefits


Terms of employment

This is a nationally recruited position under grade BG08 on a 14-level scale (14 being the highest).

The position is based at the Alliance Bioversity International – CIAT Americas Hub in Palmira, Colombia. It will be offered as a one-year fixed-term contract, renewable based on performance and the availability of funds. The Alliance provides a collaborative, research-driven environment with competitive remuneration and benefits. We are an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion.




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