The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is one of the world’s leading research partners in finding solutions for hunger, malnutrition, and poverty. Our award-winning research for development (R4D) addresses the development needs of tropical countries. We work with partners to enhance crop quality and productivity, reduce producer and consumer risks, and generate wealth from agriculture.
We are a nonprofit organization founded in 1967, governed by a Board of Trustees, and supported by several countries.
Our mission is to enhance food security and improve livelihoods in Africa through research for development (R4D).
We use the R4D model in setting a research course that addresses major development problems in Africa rather than simply contributing to scientific knowledge. It has proven to be an effective mechanism for agricultural research development. We and our partners have delivered about 70% of the international research impact in sun-Saharan Africa in the last three decades.DUTIES:
Prepare samples for genotyping following the vendors’ instructions.
Work with the curator to uphold the genotyping plate information and the genotyping results to MusaBase.
Extract, purify, quantify, and standardize DNA as needed and run PCR for specified products.
Perform ploidy analysis of banana hybrids and other germplasm, and enter the results in BTracT as applicable.
Archive the leaves of every genotype in the field and create a directory for easy access to the material.
Participate in the writing and validation of SOPs as well as student or other training related to the plantain molecular work.
Assist in the field and lab data collection for molecular research and application.
Keep custody of the molecular laboratory supplies and reagents.
Keep an updated inventory of the laboratory supplies for plantain molecular work.
Perform any other job-related tasks as may be assigned by the Supervisor.
Requirements
QUALIFICATION:
BSC/HND in Plant Science, Biology, Chemistry or any other related field with a minimum of two (2) years’ experience performing a similar role in a well-structured environment.
COMPETENCIES:
The ideal candidate must:
Be experienced in the extraction of high quality DNA from plants.
Be experienced in basic procedures and techniques in molecular biology.
Have practical experience with digital data collection and reporting.
Have good communication skills.
Have a good sense of lab ethics and cleanliness.
Be a team player with good interpersonal skills.
