Position with the International Rice Research Institute (Los Baños, Philippines)

CTI Executive Search has been retained to identify candidates for a critical Human Nutrition leadership role at the International Rice Research Institute (Los Baños, Philippines). We are seeking a superior subject matter expert with previous experience in the development of research programs that tie human nutrition and farming systems together for the benefit of rural communities. By focusing on the relationship between rice-based systems and nutritional outcomes, the entire IRRI community of stakeholders will benefit. He or she will help realize the founding mission of the Institute by developing a dimension of human nutrition in existing research programs of IRRI's and partners, as well as focusing on enhancing the nutritional quality of rice-based systems.

IRRI is a not-for-profit research institution, one of the largest centers of the CGIAR Consortium. The institute develops sustainable rice production systems for improved livelihoods in their partner countries through science and the effective engagement of interested parties globally. The Institute works with an array of public and private sector institutions, non-governmental and civil society organizations, health and relief agencies, and farmers.
Connecting through 16 country collaborations to the world’s rice producing regions, IRRI makes an impact where rice is a critical income source that provides sustenance for smallholder farmers.

The selected candidate will provide a strategic leadership role in developing, leading, and implementing major research programs and projects on improving the human nutritional value derived from rice-based cropping systems. The position will lead a new area of research in IRRI, in which the focus will be on the relationship  between rice-based systems and nutritional outcomes for smallholder farmers, their dependents, and their rural and urban rice consumers. The position is an opportunity for a human nutrition research scientist, with expertise in nutritional epidemiology or dietary optimization, to forge a multi-disciplinary effort in close collaboration with crop experts to define relationships and optimize practices, rotations, and systems that maximize human nutritional values. Through collaboration with cropping system experts, nutrition outcomes will be optimized in conjunction with strategies to improve livelihoods, enhance overall system productivity, and improve environmental outcomes.

The successful candidate will examine and optimize opportunities to enhance human diets by balancing the nutritional contributions of rice, legumes, other cereals, oil crops, vegetables, aquaculture, and livestock products. The successful applicant will also work closely with research programs at IRRI and partners that deal with biofortification (vitamin A, increased iron and zinc), decreased toxins, and heavy metals contaminants including cadmium and arsenic and also by optimizing starch, dietary fiber and protein quality.

IRRI does not maintain a clinical nutrition capacity. The successful applicant will work to develop a highly interactive network of nutrition experts across leading human nutrition research centers and partners in target countries, to access the required expertise and capacity for conducting nutrition trials and for assessing and validating diets and health outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

- Develop, promote and manage research on human dietary requirements for smallholder households dependent on rice-based farming systems
- Develop location-based cropping systems options that meet local dietary needs while also considering biophysical and socioeconomic aspects, and in close coordination with agronomists, cropping systems’ specialists, social scientists and breeders
- Develop and promote practices that encourage healthy and nutritious diet, free of toxins and heavy metal contaminants, in coordination with relevant specialist teams at IRRI and partners
- Lead/actively contribute to scientific publications in peer-reviewed journals, digests and other relevant publications highlighting research findings to reflect/showcase IRRI’s scientific leadership in the field
- Actively contribute to scientific growth of the field of system-based human dietary requirements through media, international forums and strategic publications
- Represent IRRI to a wide audience by presenting at international conferences and participation in strategic and policy forums
- Attract and coordinate a strong multidisciplinary team of agronomists, breeders, grain quality specialists and socio-economists across divisions to address research and delivery issues related to dietary requirements of smallholder rice farming communities
- Explore new and innovative areas of research and build a strong network of partnerships for IRRI to tackle and advocate human nutrition security and safety needs
- Lead major resource mobilization initiatives at program or divisional level to secure sufficient resources
- Build and maintain partnerships with public and private sector, NARES and other stakeholders
- Build and maintain partnerships with advanced research institutes, high-level partners, research managers and policy advisors and makers
- Contribute actively to the strategic thinking and planning of the research agenda of the division and cross- cutting programs of IRRI and other CG centers
- Support the Division Head and IRRI management by providing professional input on research directions at the division and program levels
- Supervise, coach, and mentor a professional team of scientists and support staff including MSc and PhD students, Postdoctoral Fellows and Scientists

 

Preferred Experience

- Ph.D, MD, or graduate degree in a relevant discipline with 10+ years related experience (nutritional security and the effect of micronutrients in malnutrition, postharvest issues such as minimizing contaminants, etc.)
- Demonstrated contributions to the delivery of outputs of multiple projects
- Evidence of successful networks and partnerships with public, private and advanced research institutions
- Demonstrated track records of mentoring, role modeling, and developing the next generation of scientists
- Significant scientific achievements as evidenced by high quality publications and other scientific products

If you are interested in this role or can provide suggested contacts for CTI on this search, please contact us in confidence.

Dave Jensen, Managing Director
(928) 282-5366 Office
(928) 274-2266 Cell (Preferred) davejensen@careertrax.com Skype:  daveproactive
 
Linda Todten, Research Associate
(928) 282-5366 Office
lindatodten@careertrax.com