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Virginia Tech Feed the Future Bangladesh Integrated Pest Management Activity (IPMA) seeking Country Program Manager

Posted in Employment, IPM on July 17, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Virginia Tech’s Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Integrated Pest Management is hiring a Country Program Manager for the Feed the Future Bangladesh Integrated Pest Management Activity (IPMA), an associate award funded by the USAID mission in Bangladesh. This activity will address managing current and emerging pest and disease threats of crops, human and institutional capacity building in Bangladesh, and developing, implementing, and scaling up IPM packages for rice, maize, mango, sesame, mung bean, sunflower, lentil, potato, groundnut, eggplant, and bananas. The Country Program Manager will manage the activity in Bangladesh and coordinate with the relevant international and national organizations/institutes/agencies in implementing the activity. See below for further details.

Virginia Tech Feed the Future Bangladesh Integrated Pest Management Activity (IPMA)

Terms of Reference (TOR)

Position:       Country Program Manager

Project:          Feed the Future Bangladesh Integrated Pest Management Activity (IPMA)

Work Site:     Dhaka city with travel to Dhaka, Khulna, and Barisal divisions, Cox’s Bazar, and Bandarban districts. In some cases, the whole country needs to be covered.

Report to:      Principal Investigator

Supervising:    Deputy Program Manager, Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, Accountant, Driver, Sweeper, Office assistants, and security guards.

Project Background: In Bangladesh, land scarcity, agricultural intensification, and rapid population growth are major issues related to food security. Pests and diseases cause nearly 50 percent crop loss. The IPMA project, an associate award funded by the USAID mission in Bangladesh, will operate for three years from August 1, 2021. It will address managing current and emerging pest and disease threats of crops, human and institutional capacity building in Bangladesh, and developing, implementing, and scaling up IPM packages for rice, maize, mango, sesame, mung bean, sunflower, lentil, potato, groundnut, eggplant, and bananas. Collaboration in-country with CIMMYT, FAO, value chains, and local institutions and agencies is required.

Job Summary: The Country Program Manager (CPM) will take guidance from and report to the Principal Investigator of the IPMA. S/he will manage the IPMA in Bangladesh and coordinate with the relevant international and national organizations/institutes/agencies in implementing IPMA. S/he will keep constant communication with the AOR of the IPMA project and the Principal Investigator. S/he will prepare and submit reports as specified in the Cooperative Agreement. 

Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Work with the Project Management team to develop a comprehensive workplan to meet the IPMA goals and objectives.
  • Coordinate with CIMMYT, FAO, and relevant Bangladesh government institutions such as the Department of Extension, academia, financial institutions, judiciary, media, private sector, and value chain actors.
  • Coordinate and prepare monthly reports, quarterly reports, annual reports, success stories, and other reports as needed.
  • Organize workshops/symposia/meetings/conferences/webinars related to the project.
  • Communicate with the AOR and Principal Investigator regularly and respond to their requests promptly.
  • Manage IPMA progress and ensure compliance with the workplan.
  • Participate in project monitoring and evaluation activities.
  • Monitor, identify, and initiate or stimulate producing scientific and/or popular publications collaboratively.

Required Qualifications and Skills:

  • Master’s Degree in a subject related to Agriculture and/or administration
  • Significant international experience in the agricultural sector
  • At least 7 years relevant professional work experience
  • Prior experience working in IPM, agricultural research or extension, value chain/market system development projects or other institutions.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills in English
  • Experience with academic research programs
  • Evidence of inclusive leadership
  • Familiarity with project management approaches, tools, and phases of the project lifecycle
  • Ability to work effectively at all levels in an organization
  • Problem-solving and root cause identification skills; strong analytic and decision-making abilities
  • Ability to take direction and to focus on and follow through on priority activities and assignments; ability to effectively handle multiple tasks without compromising the quality, team spirit, and constructive working relationships with all colleagues
  • Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and flexible work style
  • Demonstrated ability to handle confidential and/or sensitive information
  • Computer Skills: Proficient in MS Office and internet applications

Preferred Qualifications and Skills:

  • PhD in a relevant field, preferably in Entomology, Plant Pathology, or a field related to integrated pest management.
  • Knowledge of and experience with USAID rules and regulations

How to Apply

To apply, please send the completed application found at this link Application and resume/CV by email to: FTFBIPMA.Employment@gmail.com, with “IPMA Country Program Manager” in the subject heading. Applications will be reviewed beginning on 1 September 2020, and the position will remain open until filled. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted. Recruitment is contingent upon the successful award of the project; this document should not be construed in any way to represent a contract of employment.

Virginia Tech is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. Women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and protected veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. Anyone having questions concerning discrimination or accessibility should contact the Virginia Tech Office for Equity and Accessibility.

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Research Associate Position: IPM Innovation Lab

Posted in Employment, IPM on May 27, 2016| Leave a Comment »

IPM IL Logo      logo-feed-the-future 1     USAID logo

Research Associate, IPM Innovation Lab

 

Working Title: Research Associate, IPM Innovation Lab

Department: OIRED – International Education

Location: Blacksburg, VA + travel

Employee Category: Research Faculty

 

Position Summary:

The Integrated Pest Management Innovation Lab (IPM IL) is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and conducts applied IPM research on selected crops. The IPM IL is managed by the Virginia Tech Office of International Research, Education, and Development (OIRED), which currently oversees a portfolio of approximately $46 million in international research and development projects.

A Research Associate is being sought to provide assistance and expertise to the IPM IL Management Entity (ME) in Entomology/Plant Pathology for development of various components of IPM packages for tropical vegetables and other crops in project countries. The position reports to the IPM Innovation Lab Director within OIRED at Virginia Tech.

Responsibilities include:

  • Assisting in the preparation of proposals for associate awards and other Request for Applications (from the donor agency).
  • Reviewing and participating in research programs in the IP IL host countries.
  • Contributing to scholarly publications based on project research.
  • Preparing Pesticide Evaluation Reports and Safe Use Action Plans (PERSUAPs) for the IPM IL projects.
  • Planning and participating in field days, workshops, country and regional meetings and conferences related to plant protection.
  • Coordinating with Virginia Tech, U.S. and host-country participating scientists
  • Performing other project–related responsibilities as assigned including helping prepare work plans, semi-annual reports, success stories, newsletters and other IP IL related publications as well as doing background research on program technical issues.

 

Required Qualifications:

  • PhD in Plant Pathology, Entomology, or Plant Protection related fields.
  • Experience in Integrated Pest Management.
  • Proficiency in technical writing and preparing reports and documents in a professional manner.
  • Good organizational, skills and an ability to complete assignments according to a deadline.
  • Demonstrated knowledge of computer software such as Word, Excel, Access and other data management software.
  • Ability to interact professionally with individuals from diverse, multi-cultural environments.
  • Willingness to travel overseas.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • International experience in agricultural research and development
  • Foreign language skills

 

To apply: http://listings.jobs.vt.edu:80/postings/66394

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Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation hires Pamela Anderson from CIP

Posted in Employment, News on July 31, 2013| Leave a Comment »

Gates hires Anderson from Potato Center

AndersonPamela

Pamela Anderson

The Seattle-based Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has hired Pamela Anderson as its new director of agricultural development, beginning on January 6.

Anderson, an entomologist, is the director general of the International Potato Center, the Lima, Peru-based root and tuber research institution that is part of the CGIAR Consortium, an organization focused on advancing international agricultural research that has been funded in part by the World Bank.

Anderson is known for her work in agricultural entomology and plant virus epidemiology related to food security and income generation for resource-poor populations and authored numerous publications on these topics, Christopher Elias, the Gates president for global development, said in an email to colleagues announcing the appointment.

She has worked for the International Potato Center, known by its Spanish acronym CIP, since 2002. Before that, she was senior entomologist at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in Cali, Colombia.

She has also been an adviser to the Federation of American Scientists, a research consultant at Harvard University, and a member of the Government of Ireland Hunger Task Force.

Anderson holds a master’s degree in entomology from the University of Illinois, a master’s degree in human ecology from Harvard University, and a doctoral degree in population sciences/vector entomology from the Harvard School of Public Health.

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Spray Deposition and Drift Field Study Scientist Vacancy – New Zealand

Posted in Employment, Pesticides on July 17, 2012| Leave a Comment »

Spray Deposition and Drift Field Study Scientist

Lincoln Ventures Ltd., New Zealand

 Protecting  crops from pests, weeds and diseases while also protecting humans and the environment from pesticide exposure is a balancing process which requires scientists who can think “outside the box” and interact with a wide range of stakeholders from government and industry.  At Lincoln Ventures Ltd. (LVL), we need a new member for our science team conducting leading-edge research in this field.

LVL is owned by Lincoln University and is a research and development company with a track record for applying new and innovative engineering and science technologies to enhance New Zealand’s agriculture, industry and environment.  Reporting to Dr Andrew Hewitt, the Program Manager for the Chemical Application Research and Training (CART) group at LVL, you will be responsible for helping plan, conduct and analyse field studies on spray deposition research in a range of crops in NZ and internationally.  You will learn from an internationally recognized scientist in this field who has extensive relationships in Australia, the UK, the USA and Europe.  The work is underpinned by a NZ government research contract, and the group conducts international research, including field studies as well, due to Dr Hewitt’s extensive relationships with commercial companies in the USA.

You  will  have  appropriate  qualifications  and skills  to  demonstrate  that  you  can  plan,  conduct, analyse and report studies.  You will also possess the ability to interact effectively with government, the farming sector and funding bodies.

We have a range of technologies which we are developing for this research including phase-Doppler and LiDAR laser systems.  You will need to learn how to operate these systems and help plan how to integrate the data outputs from field work to be applied to our spray application deposition and drift modeling.  Other team members are already working on modeling but we need to integrate our various systems and tools to provide optimized decision support and risk assessment capabilities for a range of NZ stakeholders.  Working as part of a team and a willingness to learn new skills are key attributes which we seek in selecting the best person to fill this vacancy.

Lincoln Ventures Ltd is based at the Lincoln University campus approx 20km southwest of Christchurch.  There may be some flexibility on location for the right candidate with Hamilton being an option.

Although this is intended to be a full-time position, we may be able to consider a part-time appointment if appropriate.

For a position description and application form please email Yvonne de Vries.  To apply please email your  CV,  a  covering  letter  and  completed  application  form  to  yvonne.devries@lvl.co.nz  before  4.00pm August 3, 2012.

 

 Position Description

Spray Deposition  and Drift Field Study Scientist

 Context

Lincoln Ventures Limited (LVL) is a leading edge research and development company with a track record for applying new and innovative engineering and science technologies to support agriculture, industry and the environment.

LVL has five areas of expertise these being:

•     Chemical Application Research and Training (CART) to develop best management  practices, technologies and models needed  to balance pesticide use, sustainable  primary production and environmental protection.

•     Ground water research to understand  ground water processes and supply tools/models  for effectively managing ground water  quality and allocation of New Zealand’s ground water resource.

•     Smart sensor  and measurement technologies  utilising microwave sensing, machine vision and biosensors designed to measure and manage industrial processes;

•     Irricad – a computer software system for designing all types of pressurised irrigation systems for professional and accurate designing.

•     Precision  Agriculture  (PA).   Participates  in  securing  research   and  managing/executing precision  agriculture  projects  with  the  farming  sector,  commercial  companies,  industry bodies and central and local government agencies, nationally and internationally.

LVL is a 100% subsidiary of Lincoln University and are based on campus at Lincoln University, 20 km southwest of Christchurch, New Zealand. The North Island office is located on the Ruakura Research Campus in Hamilton, New Zealand.

Purpose

To undertake pesticide application research and consulting in New Zealand and internationally as part of LVL’s CART team, with a focus on field experimentation, data analysis and presentation. There will be opportunities to also work with the Precision Agriculture group of LVL.

Salary

To be negotiated based on skills, qualifications and experience.

 

Key Outputs

  

Key Performance  Indicators (KPI’s)
 

To help analyse data using statistical methods from field studies conducted by CART for MSI and other commercial companies.

  

  In conjunction  with LVL  staff help  analyse data from spray deposition field studies and summarise  data  with  graphs  for  input  to reports     prepared     jointly     with    CART Manager.
 

Helping set the science direction in pesticide application research

  

   Where appropriate,  help the team develop new          approaches     for    assessing    spray application       technologies       and       drift management.
 

Help prepare, run and report future field studies

  

   Select   suitable    sites   for   field    studies (kiwivines, pipfruit  and  other  crops)  with contacts supplied by CART Manager

 

   Prepare     equipment     for    field     studies including sourcing tracer dyes, sprayers and equipment  and shipping to site in advance of  studies.   Help  design   field  studies   as needed  (e.g. input to discussions on sample placement, collection, analysis) under direct supervision of CART Manager

 

   Help  conduct  field  studies  and  gradually assume  role  of  lead  field  study  scientist once skills have been learned through initial studies

 

   Learn to run and calibrate cutting edge field instrumentation such as Lasers and LIDAR.

 

   Analyse data from field studies and prepare reports for sponsors

 

   Present study results at meetings
 

Ensure effective implementation of field studies

  

   Ensure   field   studies    are    appropriately planned,    implemented,    evaluated     and published as appropriate.

 

   Undertake     the     research     projects     to complete them within budget

 

   Ensure  research  projects  comply  with  all legal and ethical requirements

  Apply        innovation         in          research implementation
 

Maximise Research Outcomes

  

   Participate     in    the     management     and monitoring  of  the  outcomes  of  research, evaluate  outcomes  against  set  objectives, set   standards   and  establish   control   and reporting    mechanisms    for    all    research activity.

 

 

     Work closely with external  stakeholders  to maximise the use of research outputs

 

   Create     and     strengthen      relationships between  stakeholders  where  awareness  of research outcomes is mutually beneficial

  Publish  research   findings  in   appropriate journals    and    industry    publications    as appropriate
 

Administration

 

 

Follow all company administration practices and policies

  

   Maintain good records of project activities, correspondence     and    expenditure,     and complete        all       LVL        administrative requirements  accurately and on time
 

Other Duties

 

Perform other reasonable duties as agreed from time to time as requested by line managers

    Provide services to agreed standards

 

   The  organisation’s    common    goals         are achieved collaboratively

 

 

 

 

Staff Supervised

Interns and field contract staff may be supervised or co-supervised as agreed

Key Relationships

 The appointee is expected to establish effective working relationships with:-

 Internal            Members of LVL’s leadership staff and other staff.

External            Regional  Councils,  Central  Government  Agencies Other  stakeholders within  the   public  and   private   sectors.      Multinational   commercial companies such as DOW, BASF etc.

Lincoln  
University

 

Other institutions

 

 Staff as needed.

 

Collaborators in other institutions, research establishments, networks.

Accountability

The appointee will be responsible to the CART Group Leader at Lincoln Ventures Limited (LVL) for the efficient discharge of the key tasks specified.

 

Competencies – Qualities
 

   Good written and oral communication

   Ability to help design experiments and line up all necessary materials and sites for their conduct

   Ability to carefully manage time for project execution and delivery on time

   Willingness to learn about spray deposition and drift research through hands-on experience

   A team player and able to work under stressful field conditions and pressures as needed. Some fieldwork requires work hours beyond the normal “9 to 5”

   Willingness to travel as needed for fieldwork

   Ability to analyse data and present it in a clear manner for scientific reporting

   Communicates effectively with a range of stakeholders

   A problem solver

   A positive attitude to personal development

   Shows concern for others in the workplace, is self motivated, has a high level of integrity, and demonstrates initiative and creativity

   Ability to work within a diverse team located in Lincoln and Hamilton

   Flexibility to adapt to new challenges

   Ability to initiate new research directions

   Ability to deliver on commitments

   Tidy and meticulous work habits

   An enthusiasm to be part of a high-technology company

   Maintain strictest confidentiality on work carried out within Lincoln Ventures Limited
 

Competencies – Skills/Experience
 

   Post graduate  qualified in a science or an engineering discipline.  Graduate qualifications with considerable experience will be considered.

   Ability to report to and work with funders and clients.

   Experience in experimental design, execution, data analysis and reporting.

   Experience, willingness and aptitude for experimental field work.

   NZ Drivers license.

For further information please email Dr Andrew Hewitt, hewitta@lvl.co.nz

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