Molecular Breeding Senior Research Associate

About the role

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IIAT) is seeking Nigerian nationals for a Molecular Breeding Senior Research Associate position at its headquarters in Ibadan. The contract is for 3 years and is renewable, with a closing date of 25 October 2026.

Key responsibilities

• Research data acquisition, storage and analysis: conduct QTL analysis, annotate genomic regions and develop tightly linked molecular markers for breeding
• Analyse large genotypic and phenotypic datasets with bioinformatics tools (PLINK, RStudio, TASSEL, Galaxy) and convert high-PIC SNPs into KASP markers for marker panels
• Prepare technical reports, manuscripts and slides, and present findings at forums
• Curate genotypic data in the EBS database and maintain the inventory database on SharePoint
• Support postgraduate students, interns and visiting researchers in wet- and dry-lab techniques, and run training sessions and workshops
• Coordinate genotyping services with vendors and regional partners, liaise with Breeding Services on consumables and logistics, and prepare work plans and cost estimates
• Manage procurement of lab reagents and screen-house consumables, track GMO contamination in maize germplasm, test samples for GMO events and support GMO analysis reports
• Lead end-to-end project management for genotyping projects, mainly for the maize programme

Required profile

• MSc. in Molecular Biology or a closely related field
• Minimum 10 years of experience in molecular biology laboratory operations within a well-structured organisation
• Nigerian nationality

Required skills

• Knowledge of diversity analysis, association analysis, linkage mapping and marker-assisted selection
• TASSEL, PLINK, RStudio, JoinMap, CodonAligner and Galaxy
• Enterprise Breeding System (EBS), Bioflow and SharePoint
• Scientific writing, presentation and supervisory skills

What we offer

• Highly competitive salary
• Attractive benefits and excellent working conditions in a pleasant campus environment