CIMMYT is looking for an outstanding, self-motivated, and result-oriented professional for the position of Maize Plant Health Scientist. This position will provide strategic leadership in plant health across CIMMYT’s Global Maize program, ensuring alignment with institutional goals and international priorities. The role involves defining long-term plant health strategies, leading AI-enabled disease surveillance, and managing scientifically robust pathology trials.
Responsibilities
- Strategic Leadership: Define CIMMYT Global Maize Program’s long-term plant health strategy and align disease priorities with breeding pipelines, climate projections, and food security risks. Establish CIMMYT as the global authority on maize disease risk in low- and middle-income countries.
- AI & Surveillance: Integrate field surveillance, genomics, remote sensing, and climate data into predictive disease models using machine learning to forecast outbreaks, pathogen evolution, and resistance breakdown.
- Pathology Trials: Lead the execution and delivery of scientifically robust pathology trials for product advancement decisions. Optimize disease screening and assays for maize breeding for field application.
- Genetic Resistance & Pathogen Intelligence: Establish genetic disease resistance as the cornerstone of crop protection. Integrate pathogen genomics and population biology to monitor and anticipate pathogen evolution, translating insights into actionable breeding strategies.
- Seed Health & Compliance: Oversee comprehensive seed health testing protocols and ensure disease-free production systems. Maintain phytosanitary procedures aligned with international regulatory frameworks (e.g., ISTA, IPPC).
- Modeling & Epidemiology: Develop integrated data platforms that consolidate epidemiological, agronomic, and environmental datasets to model disease dynamics across cropping systems and landscapes.
- Partnerships & Resource Mobilization: Build global plant health partnerships with NARS, CGIAR centers, and international agencies. Develop donor proposals and represent CIMMYT at global forums on biosecurity and disease preparedness.
Requirements
- Ph.D. in plant pathology or a closely related crop protection field from an internationally recognized university.
- Minimum of 5 years of Post-Ph.D experience.
- A strong publication record in high-impact journals related to Plant Pathology.
- Working experience in disease screening under natural and artificial inoculations for key maize diseases.
- Good knowledge of international seed exchange and phytosanitary guidelines.
- Working knowledge of data analysis software such as R, SAS, and Genstat.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills in English to manage complex collaborator relations.
- Track record of flexibility, adaptability, and working under pressure with tight deadlines.
- Willingness to travel widely in East and Southern Africa.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should apply online via the CIMMYT application portal on Workable by clicking the application link provided: Apply Here
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