Postdoctoral Fellow/Scientist (The WorldFish Center)

The WorldFish Center, with administrative headquarters on the island of Penang, Malaysia, is a world-class scientific research organization. Our mission is to reduce poverty and hunger by improving fisheries and aquaculture. We have offices in 8 countries and engage in collaborative research with more than 200 partners in more than 25 countries. The Center is a nonprofit organization and a member of the Consortium on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW/SCIENTIST

If you hold a recent PhD in a discipline and subject related to rural development, natural resource management or climate change and are interested in helping rural people adapt to climate change, this position is for you. You need to be a good team player, with strong research design and analysis skills and a broad systems perspective that spans social and natural sciences. You also need strong field research skills and an ability to work in close cooperation with farmers, fisherfolk and local government and NGO staff. If you have used action-research approaches in your work, we particularly want to hear from you. Based in Dhaka, you will spend a large proportion of the time at the CCAFS programme field sites in Khula District in coastal Bangladesh, but will also travel to other areas within the Indo-Gangetic Plains. The position is available at either postdoctoral level (PhD and up to 2 years postdoc experience) or scientist level (PhD and more than two years postdoc experience) depending on skills, experience and qualifications. Postdoctoral positions are for two years, scientist positions are for three. At either level, the contract is renewable subject to performance and institutional need. Promotion to scientist/senior scientist is also available.

Key Responsibilities:

* In consultation with the regional office of the CCAFS programme on the Indo-Gangetic Plains and the WorldFish office in Dhaka, coordinate field activities of the CCAFS programme in Bangladesh, with an initial focus on the coastal area in the south-west, around Khulna.
* Assist in the design and implementation of field research to assess adaptation options in response to climate variability and change, with an emphasis on water resource and salinity management and the interactions between shrimp farming, rice farming and other agricultural practices.
* Manage the linkages between CCAFS and the AAS programme, ensuring that climate change issues are mainstreamed in the latter, and that AAS issues remain prominent in CCAFS
* Represent the WorldFish Center at key national and regional climate change policy forums and at relevant regional and international science conferences
* Build and sustain productive working relationships with key research, policy and implementation partners.
* Contribute to writing up project and programme reports and disseminating programme research findings through international peer-reviewed literature.

Qualifications, Experience, Skills and Abilities:

* PhD degree and strong record of publications in international peer-reviewed journals related to climate change impact, vulnerability, adaptation or mitigation;
* At least 2 years experience of field-based social science or interdisciplinary research on issues of rural livelihoods, gender, poverty, agriculture or environmental management; and
* Sound knowledge of current approaches and methodologies for climate vulnerability analysis, adaptation or mitigation, particularly in an agricultural development or food security context.
* Broad knowledge of either fisheries/aquaculture or international development issues ¡V preferably both.
* Experience of working in multi-disciplinary teams in project contexts and under tight deadlines.
* Good coordination and facilitation skills, demonstrated through application in a multi-stakeholder context. Experience working within an action-research context is desirable.
* Excellent written and spoken English language capability.

The WorldFish Center offers a competitive remuneration package, a non-discriminatory policy and provides an innovative work environment. Interested applicants are invited to submit a covering letter explaining how your experience, skills and qualifications enable them to meet the responsibilities of the position providing key examples and/or achievements and a comprehensive curriculum vitae that includes names and contacts (telephone, fax, and e-mail addresses) of three (3) professional referees who are familiar with the candidate's qualifications and work experience. You are required to submit your application, with letter or email subject line 'Application for the position of Postdoctoral Fellow/Scientist' and indicate in your application the source of this advertisement (where you saw the job announcement) to the Human Resources Strategy and Services Unit at worldfish-hr@cgiar.org . The deadline for applications is June 22nd 2011.

We expect to hold interview during the week of 25 - 29th July 2011 and the successful applicant can take up the position from September 1st 2011. This is a global position based at the field office in Khulna under the WorldFish Center in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Only short-listed candidates will be notified.

For further details, please visit our website at www.worldfishcenter.org and further details on the research content at the following links:

The CCAFS programme: http://www.ccafs.cgiar.org

The proposed AAS programme:
http://www.worldfishcenter.org/wfcms/HQ/article.aspx?ID=1195

Past and on-going climate research at the WorldFish Center:
http://www.worldfishcenter.org/wfcms/HQ/article.aspx?ID=68

WorldFish is committed to an Equal Employment Opportunity employer and strives for staff diversity in gender and nationality.