Research Associate

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is a not-for-profit institution that generates agricultural innovations to meet Africa’s most pressing g challenges of hunger, malnutrition, poverty, and natural resource degradation. Working with various partners across sub-Saharan Africa, we improve livelihoods, enhance food and nutrition security, increase employment, and preserve natural resource integrity. IITA is a Member of CGIAR, a global agriculture research partnership for a food secure future. Please visit https://www.ita.org/ for more information about 1ITA.

IETA works with other CGIAR Centers and national partners on The Food Systems Resilience Program (FSRP) directly contributes to improving the state of food insecurity while building resilience in the food productive base of the country.

Specifically, at the protected designated origin level, the projects seek.to increase preparedness against food insecurity and improve the resilience of food systems in Sierra Leone, which aims to strengthen seed delivery and improve Farmer access to new improved varieties, and promote consumption of nutritious foods. Following the repeated shocks experienced by Smallholder farmers over the last decade driven by the whims of climate change, health related issues like Ebola and COVID, supply chain and more, MAFS-FSRP has engaged IITA to achieve some of its goals involving phytosanitary standards (aflatoxin mitigation), Support to cassava and soybean value chains, and assisting in the scaling of climate resilient technologies.

Consequently, IITA is currently seeking to fill the below position:

POSITION:

Research Associate IITA-P4D/SLARI/MAFS-FSRP

Duty Station:

This is a Nationally Recruited Position, based in Freetown,
Sierra Leone.

Summary of Position:

Reporting directly to the Senior Food and Nutrition Scientist, this position provides professional and administrative support to the IITA/SLARI Food Systems Resilience Program project. The incumbent will provide technical support to the development of a Global food Matters Database for Sierra Leone as input to the INDDEX24 mobile application for dietary intake assessment, assessment of diet quality using the Global Diet Quality Score (GDQS) mobile application and promoting processing and consumption of soybean-based products at the household and SMEs levels, maintaining high confidentiality as may be required and exercising discretion and good sense of judgment.

MAJOR DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

*Participate in the planning and conduct of activities under the E’A/ SLARI Food Systems Resilience Program (FSRP) project.

*Contribute to the development of a Global Matters Food Database (Food, Recipe, and Ingredient List), conversion factors, edible portion, and estimate of portion size.

* Assist in the conduct of diet quality assessment using the Global Diet Quality Score (GDQS) mobile application.

* Promote the consumption of nutritious and safe food in project target communities.

.Collaborate with national research institutes, non-governmental organizations, and community-based groups to increase awareness of nutritious foods from soybean.

•Provide technical backstoppingtonon-governmental organizations and community-based organizations conducting activities on soybean processing.

.Conduct Training of Trainers Workshops on soybean processing and utilization.

* Prepare report on training workshops, and other related FSRP activities

* Perform any other duties as assigned by supervisor

Qualification, Experience and Key Skills

MSc in Food Science/Technology or Nutrition with some previous experience of work in research for development, ability to
collaborate across sectors while utilizing strong communications and interpersonal skills with evidence of the ability to productively interact with a wide range of stake holders, excellent organizational skills and attention details, knowledge of Sierra Leone foods desirable, very strong written and verbal communication skills (proficiency in English), Visual creativity including design of slides on diagrams and excellent presentation skills and knowledge of Excel necessary.

Additional position information:

This position is for two years: renewable subject to performance and availability of funds. This is a nationally recruited (NRS)position.

IITA offers a competitive remuneration package.

GENERAL GUIDANCE

Applications: Applications including a letter of application curriculum vitae, copies of certificates, telephone number, email
address, and names and addresses of two referees should be sent to the Country Representative, IITA- Sierra Leone, PMB 134, Tower Hill, Freetown with the reference of the position clearly marked in the right hand corner of the envelope or by email to IITA-SierraLeone@cgiar.org

Please note that any application without the references indicated will be automatically disqualified.

Closing date: Two weeks from the date of advertisement appearing in the newspaper. Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

The anticipated starting date for this position is 1st October, 2024.