Background information about the job or company (e.g., role context, company overview)

The Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) is a non-profit, scientific institution that conducts research on the most pressing challenges of forest and landscape management around the world. Using a global, multidisciplinary approach, we aim to improve human well-being, protect the environment, and increase equity. To do so, we conduct innovative research, develop partners’ capacity, and actively engage in dialogue with all stakeholders to inform policies and practices that affect forests and people. CIFOR is a CGIAR Research Center, and leads the CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA). Our headquarters are in Bogor, Indonesia, with offices in Nairobi, Kenya; Yaounde, Cameroo

Responsibilities or duties

Agronomy

• Design, implement, and oversee on-station and on-farm agronomic trials aligned with breeding and seed systems research objectives
• Optimize agronomic packages (plant population, nutrient management, water management, and cropping systems)
• Ensure standardized agronomic protocols and data quality across locations
• Monitor crop growth and field conditions, ensuring uniformity and trial integrity
• Maintain accurate agronomic records for all trials
• Analyze agronomic trial data and contribute to interpretation of G×E×M interactions.

Crop Physiology

• Identify and quantify key physiological traits associated with yield, stress tolerance, and resource-use efficiency
• Support phenotyping for drought, heat, nutrient stress, and other priority constraints through implementation of standardized phenotyping protocols across sites and seasons
• Integrate physiological trait data with agronomic and breeding datasets to inform varietal selection and targeting
• Conduct physiological experiments under field and controlled conditions (where applicable/necessary)

Remote Sensing and Geospatial Analytics

• Deploy and operate remote sensing tools such as UAVs/drones, handheld sensors, and proximal platforms for data collection, including processing, and analysis of imagery and sensor data
• Acquire & process imagery from satellites, drones, and aerial platforms
• Apply vegetation indices and spatial analytics for crop monitoring, stress detection, and trial quality assessment
• Integrate remote sensing and GIS data with field and physiological data for high-throughput phenotyping
• Produce spatial maps, dashboards, and visual products for technical reporting
• Mapping potential distribution area of various stresses, diseases and pests using environmental variables associated with their occurrence

Integration, Capacity Building, and Reporting

• Synthesize agronomic, physiological, and remote sensing evidence into actionable recommendations
• Provide technical backstopping and training to partners, field teams, and national programs
• Contribute to scientific publications, technical reports, and donor deliverables
• Support data documentation, reproducibility, and knowledge management

Qualifications or requirements (e.g., education, skills)

• MSc in Agronomy/Crop Physiology & Remote Sensing
• Demonstrated experience integrating field trials, physiological measurements, and remote sensing data
• Strong quantitative and data analysis skills (e.g., R, Python, GIS platforms, Google Earth Engine, ArcMap)

Experience needed

• Minimum 3–5 years of experience in applied agricultural research
• Experience working in multi-disciplinary and multi-location projects
• Prior engagement with international, CGIAR, NARS, or donor-funded programs is an advantage

Any other provided details (e.g., benefits, work environment, team info, or additional notes)

• Education, knowledge and experience
• MSc in Agronomy/Crop Physiology & Remote Sensing
• Minimum 3–5 years of experience in applied agricultural research
• Demonstrated experience integrating field trials, physiological measurements, and remote sensing data
• Strong quantitative and data analysis skills (e.g., R, Python, GIS platforms, Google Earth Engine, ArcMap)
• Experience working in multi-disciplinary and multi-location projects
• Prior engagement with international, CGIAR, NARS, or donor-funded programs is an advantage

• Design, implement, and oversee on-station and on-farm agronomic trials aligned with breeding and seed systems research objectives
• Optimize agronomic packages (plant population, nutrient management, water management, and cropping systems)
• Ensure standardized agronomic protocols and data quality across locations
• Monitor crop growth and field conditions, ensuring uniformity and trial integrity
• Maintain accurate agronomic records for all trials
• Analyze agronomic trial data and contribute to interpretation of G×E×M interactions.
• Identify and quantify key physiological traits associated with yield, stress tolerance, and resource-use efficiency
• Support phenotyping for drought, heat, nutrient stress, and other priority constraints through implementation of standardized phenotyping protocols across sites and seasons
• Integrate physiological trait data with agronomic and breeding datasets to inform varietal selection and targeting
• Conduct physiological experiments under field and controlled conditions (where applicable/necessary)
• Deploy and operate remote sensing tools such as UAVs/drones, handheld sensors, and proximal platforms for data collection, including processing, and analysis of imagery and sensor data
• Acquire & process imagery from satellites, drones, and aerial platforms
• Apply vegetation indices and spatial analytics for crop monitoring, stress detection, and trial quality assessment
• Integrate remote sensing and GIS data with field and physiological data for high-throughput phenotyping
• Produce spatial maps, dashboards, and visual products for technical reporting
• Mapping potential distribution area of various stresses, diseases and pests using environmental variables associated with their occurrence
• Synthesize agronomic, physiological, and remote sensing evidence into actionable recommendations
• Provide technical backstopping and training to partners, field teams, and national programs
• Contribute to scientific publications, technical reports, and donor deliverables
• Support data documentation, reproducibility, and knowledge management

• Strong quantitative and data analysis skills (e.g., R, Python, GIS platforms, Google Earth Engine, ArcMap)

• MSc in Agronomy/Crop Physiology & Remote Sensing
• Demonstrated experience integrating field trials, physiological measurements, and remote sensing data