Ref No: DDG-R4D/PDF/GR/C/06/21

Background: The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) with headquarters in Ibadan, Nigeria invites applications for the internationally recruited position of Postdoctoral Fellow – Gender Research.

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is a not-for-profit institution that generates agricultural innovations to meet Africa’s most pressing 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 http://www.iita.org/ for more information on IITA.

Project’s Information

At Cornell University Department of Global Development, we unlock the energies and talents of experts from a range of disciplines to address some of the biggest problems facing humanity. With a focus on education with impact, our transdisciplinary approach emphasizes real-world engagement with communities in New York state and around the globe. Our dynamic learning atmosphere and academic culture goes beyond purely technical work to provide deep analysis and transformative solutions. We catalyze change and provoke fresh understanding. We develop next-generation leaders through engaged and active learning that connects students with field experiences. We are committed to justice, to science, to people and we never stop striving to make direct social impact all around the globe.

The Muhogo Bora project is seeking a postdoctoral fellow to join the project team based in IITA Tanzania. Muhogo Bora means “Better cassava” in Swahili, and we provide support to develop and expand cassava seed systems in Tanzania with targeted outreach to the Western Zone, Central and Southern Highlands regions. The project complements and builds on ongoing efforts from the Building an Economically Sustainable Seed System for Cassava in Tanzania (BEST Cassava) project that has operated since 2017, and will end this year and transition into the Building an Economically Sustainable, Integrated Cassava Seed System, Phase 2 (BASICS-II) project in 2022 in Tanzania. Muhogo Bora presents a complementary opportunity to amplify and adapt the existing Cassava Seed Entrepreneur (CSE) model to provide equitable outcomes for women who are represented in low numbers as CSEs compared to men.

The postdoctoral fellow will work to identify and test modifications to current CSE selection, support and certification processes that would lead to women’s increased participation in and benefits from cassava seed systems in Tanzania. The postdoc will also explore how these modifications, and additional add on activities would contribute towards building gender transformative seed system approaches more broadly.

Position Responsibilities

The postdoctoral fellow will:

• Critically examine current CSE selection, support ecosystem and certification processes to identify practices and processes that could specifically prevent women’s participation in and benefit from CSE based seed systems models.
• Review outcomes of the BEST gender study to specifically identify practices and gender norms that women, and men, articulate as problems for women’s participation and benefit from CSE based seed system models.
• Pilot a CSE package focusing on testing added elements/interventions that would address norms and power structures to explore CSE models that are more “empowering” and “transformative”.
• Develop scientific outputs (literature reviews, reports, journal articles, briefs etc.) over the course of the project that showcase the various outputs and outcomes delivered and achieved.
• Help develop the gender capacities of team members and partners to implement project activities and ensure greater sustainability after the life of the project.
• Perform any other job-related duties as may be assigned by the supervisor.

Education Qualifications

The candidate should possess a Ph.D. in Gender Studies, Anthropology, Development Studies, Rural Sociology or other relevant fields from a highly recognized university. He/she must be a Tanzanian or East African national.

Core Competencies

• Extensive experience in both qualitative and quantitative gender research methods.
• Demonstrated experience in participatory, gender action learning, and/or gender transformative research approaches.
• Demonstrated field research experience in an international agricultural research for development focused project or program.
• Excellent leadership, organizational and time management skills.
• Must have strong problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work as a member of a multi-disciplinary or transdisciplinary team in a cross-cultural environment.
• Proficiency in oral and written Kiswahili.

Duty Station: Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

General Information:

The initial appointment is for two years. IITA offers a competitive remuneration package paid in US dollars.

Applications:

Applications must include covering letter which should address how the candidate’s background/experience relates to the specific duties of the position applied for, curriculum vitae, names and addresses of three professional referees (which must include either the Head of the applicant’s current or previous organization or applicant’s direct Supervisor/Superior at his/her present or former place of work). The application should be addressed to the Head of Human Resources. Please complete our online application form using this link: http://www.iita.org/careers.

Closing date: 8th July 2021.

IITA is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to building a diverse workforce, particularly welcoming applications from women.

While all applications will be acknowledged, please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.