Horticulturist

The International Center for Biosaline Agriculture(ICBA) is an international, non-profit agricultural research center established in 1999 through the visionary leadership of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund, the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD), and the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). ICBA is a unique applied agricultural research center in the world that is focused on marginal areas where an estimated 1.7 billion people live. It identifies, tests and introduces resource-efficient, climate-smart crops and technologies that are best suited to different regions affected by salinity, water scarcity and drought. Through its work, ICBA helps to improve food security and livelihoods for some of the poorest rural communities around the world. ICBA is an equal opportunity employer and appoints qualified staff regardless of race, creed, color, age, gender, religion or national origin. We demonstrate our commitment to each member of our team through a competitive benefits package designed to assist our employees to cover their needs and the needs of their immediate family members.

Job Summary

Conduct applied research on horticulture and protected agriculture including high value fruit and vegetable production systems. The horticulturist will develop the plan to identify the suitable fruits and vegetable crops and associated management technologies for different regions but not limited to MENA, SSA and Central Asia region to ensure higher productivity which is economically viable and environmentally sustainable. The scientist will collaborate closely with teams of breeders, molecular biologists, seed specialists, social scientists and others to develop the novel integrated solutions for horticultural crops. He/she will develop principles and decision tools for knowledge dissemination to researchers and professional extension staff.

Job Responsibilities
  • Introduce new horticultural fruit and vegetable crops and varieties to assess their performance and adaptability in the target region which is not limited to MENA, SSA and central Asia.
  • Develop associated management technologies that are economically viable and environmentally sustainable for the fruit and vegetable production tailor made for diverse environments.
  • Test different protected agriculture and hydroponic systems under various conditions to evaluate their efficiency and, technical and economic feasibility to adapt to the local needs.
  • Develop projects related to area of expertise and in line with ICBA mandate.Lead the preparation of concept notes and proposals to procure internal and external funding
  • Design and set-up trials and conduct all related technical operations including growing practices, recording observations and come-out with inferences.
  • Interact and associate with other research programs (internally and externally) to develop, implement and lead multidisciplinary research activities and participate as a team player in developing technical reports, extension material as well as corporate publications such as annual and bi-annual reports, newsletters, articles, brochures etc
  • Support other colleagues in planning, developing and implementing projects related to horticulture and crop production.
  • Prepare required project reporting, authoring papers for publications in refereed journals.
  • Supervise students, interns and workers involved in the research activities.
  • Work with ICBA partners including private sector, national centers, universities for protected agriculture systems development.
  • Develop and take part in workshops, conference and capacity building programs for scientists, and regional specialists in the area of expertise
  • Assist supervisor as required for the ICBA research.
Qualifications and Experience

Essential

  • At least 5-year post-PhD experience in horticulture or relevant subject
  • Strong publication records in refereed journals with high impact factor
  • Fluency in written and spoken English
  • Team player with experience working as a member of multidisciplinary team
  • Ability to conduct research with minimum supervision
  • International work experience

Desired

  • Working knowledge of statistics and programming
  • Knowledge of Arabic
  • Supervisory experience
Post Date
20 September 2020
Status
Closed
Vacancy Type
Full-time
Closing Date
26 October 2020
Location
Dubai, UAE
Report To
Horticulture scientist
Job Number
ICBA-DP-DXB-2020-019