Oversee and execute a comprehensive range of critical duties, including but not limited to strategic planning, project management, and cross-functional collaboration to achieve organizational objectives. Serve as a primary liaison between departments, ensuring seamless communication and alignment with established goals. Develop and implement innovative solutions to enhance operational efficiency, while maintaining strict adherence to industry regulations and company policies. Conduct thorough performance evaluations, provide actionable feedback, and mentor team members to foster professional growth and development. Manage budgets, allocate resources effectively, and optimize expenditures to maximize return on investment. Lead high-impact initiatives, driving continuous improvement and measurable outcomes across all assigned responsibilities.
The successful candidate will drive the evolution of local innovation ecosystems into vibrant knowledge hubs, working in close partnership with youth, the private sector, governments, policymakers, and other key stakeholders.
Digital and AI-driven advancements tailored for smallholder agricultural systems offer transformative opportunities to enhance productivity, efficiency, and sustainability. These innovations leverage cutting-edge technologies such as machine learning, data analytics, and automation to address critical challenges faced by small-scale farmers, including resource constraints, market access limitations, and climate variability. By integrating AI-powered tools like predictive analytics, precision agriculture, and automated decision-support systems, farmers can optimize crop yields, reduce input waste, and improve risk management. Additionally, digital platforms facilitate real-time access to market prices, weather forecasts, and agronomic best practices, empowering smallholders to make data-informed decisions. Collaboration with research institutions, agribusinesses, and technology providers is essential to ensure these solutions are accessible, affordable, and contextually relevant. Ultimately, these innovations aim to foster resilient, inclusive, and sustainable agricultural ecosystems that uplift smallholder livelihoods while contributing to global food security.
Drive collaborative socio-ecological systems co-design and co-engineering initiatives by integrating precision agriculture, digital solutions, and AI-driven innovations in partnership with smallholder farmers, pastoralists, youth organizations, extension services, government entities, and private sector collaborators.
Promote the ethical, responsible, and inclusive deployment of data, AI, and automation while advancing gender equity, youth participation, data sovereignty, and environmental sustainability.
Design innovative applications of remote sensing, IoT, edge computing, machine learning, and decision-support systems, specifically optimized for agricultural environments with limited connectivity and constrained resources. Operationalize these technologies to enhance efficiency, productivity, and sustainability in farming systems operating under challenging conditions.
Develop and nurture collaborative public-private alliances, digital public infrastructure, and institutional advancements to facilitate sustainable and equitable value generation through digital and artificial intelligence technologies.
Develop, execute, and enhance digital platforms—such as climate information systems, credit and insurance solutions, and market-input-value chain integration—that deliver integrated technical-market interventions. These initiatives are designed to mitigate risks in agriculture and pastoral systems while fostering meaningful employment opportunities for young people.
Enhance the impact of digital public infrastructure, open science, open data, and pre-competitive collaboration and products in advancing agricultural development across diverse regions, with a particular focus on smallholder-oriented contractual agriculture.
Conduct research dissemination and facilitate knowledge sharing initiatives to ensure findings are effectively communicated and accessible to relevant stakeholders.
Prepare and submit scholarly articles to esteemed academic journals, thereby enhancing INRI’s repository of research on digital innovation and machine-augmented intelligence applications in agriculture and livestock.
Represent the International Livestock Research Institute (INRI) at conferences, workshops, and training events to disseminate research outcomes, promote INRI’s expertise, and position the organization as a leading authority in the field.
Craft and deliver engaging blogs, communication materials, and policy briefs designed to advocate for the ethical and responsible advancement of digital innovations and machine-augmented intelligence.
Our role involves cultivating and maintaining strategic alliances with key stakeholders, ensuring mutually beneficial collaborations that drive growth and innovation. This position requires a proactive approach to identifying potential partners, negotiating terms, and aligning shared objectives to enhance organizational reach and impact. Additionally, it demands strong interpersonal skills to foster trust, along with analytical abilities to assess partnership viability and performance metrics. Responsibilities include developing partnership frameworks, monitoring progress, and resolving any challenges to maximize long-term value.
Develop strategic collaborations with adtech and fintech firms, youth groups, financial and educational institutions, mobile network operators, policymakers, fellow CGIAR centers, nongovernmental organizations, and investors to design, create, and execute digital innovations alongside machine-augmented intelligence solutions tailored for smallholder agriculture and livestock systems.
Leverage strategic partnerships through South-South and North-South collaborations to forge robust connections with globally recognized institutions. This initiative aims to harness the transformative potential of artificial intelligence in addressing persistent development obstacles within intricate smallholder systems.
Act as an intermediary for knowledge exchange and foster strategic connections within the innovation ecosystem.
Lead and/or assist in initiatives focused on creating project plans, cost analyses, business cases, and supporting documentation to enhance the development, improvement, and upkeep of new digital tools.
Contribute proactively to fundraising initiatives aligned with INRI and CGIAR strategic priorities, focusing on precision agriculture, digital innovation, and machine-augmented intelligence, with an emphasis on securing private capital investment.
Capacity building and mentoring are essential components of our organizational strategy, aimed at empowering individuals and teams to enhance their skills, knowledge, and performance. This role requires a proactive approach to developing tailored training programs, providing constructive feedback, and fostering a collaborative learning environment. Candidates must demonstrate strong interpersonal skills, adaptability, and a commitment to continuous improvement, ensuring that participants are equipped to achieve their professional goals. Responsibilities include designing and implementing capacity-building initiatives, monitoring progress, and cultivating long-term mentorship relationships to drive sustainable growth.
In collaboration with diverse stakeholders, design and implement tailored training and capacity-building initiatives aimed at developing and sustaining digital platforms within designated countries.
Assist in the supervision of PhD and Master’s students, providing guidance on topics pertinent to their research areas.
Mentor and guide research technicians engaged in collecting field data, analyzing results, and sharing key findings.
Seeking a candidate with a minimum of five years of experience in a related field, holding a Bachelor’s degree or higher in a relevant discipline. Proficiency in project management software and exceptional organizational skills are essential. The ideal applicant must demonstrate strong problem-solving abilities and the capacity to work collaboratively in a team-driven environment. Familiarity with industry regulations and compliance standards is required, along with the capability to manage multiple priorities effectively under tight deadlines.
A PhD in agriculture, environmental sciences, computer science, or geospatial sciences is required, along with more than seven years of hands-on experience in technical project or program management and in spearheading the development of solution architectures for large-scale, complex distributed systems.
Experience in technical management positions is advantageous, and candidates should possess a degree in Business Administration.
We seek a professional with a demonstrated track record in designing, developing, and deploying digital innovations and/or machine-augmented intelligence solutions tailored to crop-livestock and pastoral systems. Familiarity with Generative AI and computational social sciences is considered beneficial.
Demonstrated expertise in authoring and publishing scholarly articles, alongside the ability to develop and deliver compelling presentations for academic conferences, collaborative workshops, and key stakeholder interactions.
Skilled in developing communication materials—including research and policy briefs—that effectively showcase both the opportunities and challenges presented by the digitalization of agriculture and livestock systems.
Professional candidates will demonstrate a strong background in crafting grant proposals and fundraising initiatives, along with the ability to cultivate meaningful relationships with donors, partners, and key stakeholders to advance INRI’s strategic objectives and secure essential resources.
Skilled in effectively collaborating and disseminating findings with cross-disciplinary research teams, including professionals from climate science, livestock productivity, crop and soil management, socioeconomic, and gender studies.
With a proven track record in guiding students and mentoring research technicians, experience includes overseeing data collection initiatives, managing field studies, and facilitating analytical processes.
A comprehensive grasp of resource-constrained, smallholder agricultural systems in developing nations—especially within semi-arid and tropical climates—with particular emphasis on enhancing climate adaptation and building resilience.
Professional candidates will possess prior work experience in Africa and/or Asia, complemented by a solid grasp of the agricultural and environmental landscapes in these regions.
Proficiency in actively collaborating or prior engagement with private sector business models and operational frameworks is highly advantageous.
Proficient in both English and French, with a working knowledge of one or more African languages considered a plus.
Qualifications
PhD/Fellowship
Experience Required
7 years
