The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) seeks to recruit a Scientist or Senior Scientist – Animal Nutrition to apply the principles of livestock nutrition to the improvement of livestock feed resources in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMIC’s). This will include developing and improving livestock feed options as well as refining methods for feed evaluation using chemical and spectral analysis. Livestock feed options include crop residues, planted forages and concentrate feeds.
ILRI works to improve food and nutritional security and reduce poverty in developing countries through research for efficient, safe and sustainable use of livestock. It is the only one of 15 CGIAR research centres dedicated entirely to animal agriculture research for the developing world. Co-hosted by Kenya and Ethiopia, it has regional or country offices and projects in East, South and Southeast Asia as well as Central, East, Southern and West Africa.
The position.
Livestock productivity in developing countries is hampered by shortage of high-quality feed. Livestock are often fed sub-optimally on unimproved feeds including crop residues, natural pastures, and agro-industrial by-products. As livestock production intensifies there is a need to improve feed quality to support higher productivity in a sustainable manner. Situated in the Feed and Forage Development (FFD) program, this role contributes to ILRI’s ongoing program of research on improvement of feed quality. Much of this work focuses on crop residue improvement. Crop residues are generally poor in quality, but improvements can be made by exploiting existing cultivar variations, targeted genetic enhancement of breeding material and through physical/chemical processing post-harvest. For example, the application of methods borrowed from the second-generation biofuel sector are relevant to improving feeds for ruminant livestock.
Key Responsibilities:
- Conceptual development, planning and implementation of research in the areas of:
- Novel approaches to improving feed quality through processing and supplementation
- Genetic selection in food/feed crops for improvements in the nutritional quality of their residues
- Devising simple ration formulation approaches that can easily be applied in smallholder livestock settings
- Investigating the potential of NIRS analysis to improve feed evaluation in LMIC laboratories including the use of mobile NIRS devices.
- Develop ideas for fundable projects in the above areas and draft research proposals to secure a portfolio of funded projects
- Write and publish scientific papers, prepare conference/workshop presentations and contribute to other communication products (research briefs, policy briefs etc) on the above research topics and how they contribute to the overall research mandate of ILRI
- Liaise with colleagues with complementary skills across the FFD programme, the ILRI community and the wider research for development community
- Supervise science/technical staff, PhD and MSc students across multiple locations
- Perform any other related duties as may be required
Requirements
- PhD in animal nutrition, animal physiology or relevant discipline
- Minimum of five years post-doctoral experience for Scientist and seven years for Senior Scientist.
- In depth knowledge on smallholder livestock production systems in developing countries
- Good publication record demonstrating a thorough understanding of livestock nutrition principles including processes of digestion, feed evaluation, feeding standards for maintenance and production and factors influencing voluntary intake of feed.
- Experience with laboratory analysis including use and optimisation of NIRS tools.
Application Deadline is July 8, 2021.
