The International Food Policy Research Institute
Position #12-106-Postdoctoral Fellow/EPTD

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) seeks a Post-Doctoral Fellow (PDF) for its HarvestChoice team in the Environment and Production Technology Division. This is a two-year, exempt, renewable appointment depending on performance and funding, based at IFPRI Headquarters in Washington, DC. HarvestChoice is jointly implemented with the Center for International Science and Technology Policy and Practice (InSTePP) at the University of Minnesota.

JOB DESCRIPTION: The PDF will work closely with both the team leader and the economist within IFPRI's HarvestChoice team in conducting a work program agreed and monitored by IFPRI and by USAID. HarvestChoice generates data, methods, tools as well as production, market and socio-economic evaluation that serve to inform strategic, agriculture-related investment choices targeted to raising the productivity, value-chain participation, and well-being of poor smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. The PDF will take stock of this experience to apply and extend relevant HarvestChoice data, methods and concepts to his/her assignment.

In a broader context, the goals and outputs of HarvestChoice form part of the overall Strategic Foresight capacity within the CGIAR Consortium's Policies, Institutions and Markets Research Program (CRP2).

Conditions of employment, benefits and performance assessment processes for this position would be those established by IFPRI. Extensive travels to sub-Saharan African countries (particularly Ghana, Ethiopia, Malawi, Mali, and Tanzania) are envisaged for this position.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES: The successful candidate will be responsible for the coordination and operational implementation of the Strategic Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) component of sub-Saharan Africa Sustainable Intensification (SI) component of the USAID's Feed the Future (FTF) research strategy, which HarvestChoice has been contracted to deliver. The team has recently expanded its regional spatial framework to encompass nationally representative household survey data in addition to its rich biophysical, production, market, demography and infrastructure data holdings. These elements will form the core of a consistent M&E platform that the successful candidate will be responsible for developing, supporting spatially disaggregated examination of target farming sub-systems, households and key ecosystem services.

Initially, the Post-Doctoral Fellow will seek synergies with other national and regional partners in tapping available and reliable data source, and engage with relevant stakeholders in the technical and operational design and implementation of M&E activities. Subsequently, according to the quantity, quality and relevance of information he/she will identify gaps in data and analysis, for which targeted data collection might be required at the local level, through qualitative and quantitative commissioned surveys. These data would complement a suite of modeling tools and spatially-disaggregated indicators already accessible to HarvestChoice, which the Post-Doctoral Fellow and M&E partners will analyse and interpret. Particular emphasis will be placed on periodic assessment of the potential up-scaled impacts of sustainable intensification practices in the Sudano-Sahelian zone, the Ethiopian Highlands, and in the maize-based systems of Eastern and Southern Africa.

Periodic reporting to donors and implementation partners will be required on the measured and projected status of key output and outcome indicators.

REQUIRED SKILLS:
- PhD in agricultural economics, applied economics or a very closely related field
- Experience in conducting Monitoring & Evaluation activities
- Demonstrated success in the design and application of monitoring & evaluation approaches in a development context, preferable on the agriculture sector
- Fluency in written and spoken English
- Demonstrated strong writing skills and capacity to analyze complex phenomena and publish research findings
- Professional engagement with recognized peers in the field
- Advanced knowledge of statistical software packages, good econometric skills and strong familiarity with data production processes
- Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to work in a multi-cultural environment and across disciplines

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Experience in in sub-Saharan Africa
- Knowledge of survey methodologies and data collection protocols
- Experience with techniques of deriving statistically robust typologies or clusters of households
- Experience with methods of analysis of spatially-disaggregated data
- Significant periods of travel to and work in developing countries, especially in Africa
- Working knowledge of a second language of relevance to the geographic areas of research focus (e.g., French, Swahili or Amharic)

ABOUT IFPRI: IFPRI is one of the international agricultural research institutes organized under the umbrella of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). The mandate of IFPRI is to identify and analyze alternative national and international strategies and policies for meeting world food needs in ways that conserve the natural resource base, with emphasis on low income and on the poorer groups in the countries.

IFPRI offers a multicultural, collegial research environment with competitive salary and excellent benefits. IFPRI is an international and equal opportunity organization and believes that diversity of its staff contributes to excellence. We encourage women and developing country professionals to apply.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE: External Candidates: Go to http://www.ifpri.org. Click on "Careers" and "Research" to link you to Position # 12-106 - Postdocotral Fellow. Please complete on-line application, including a complete curriculum vitae and a detailed letter of interest. Also complete section providing 3 references.

FURTHER INFORMATION: For more information on IFPRI, please visit our website at: http://www.ifpri.org. EOE