Research and Delivery Support Assistant

About the role

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) is seeking a Research and Delivery Support Assistant to contribute to food safety research and outreach activities in Nigeria. This 2‑year renewable position combines laboratory support with field‑based sensitisation and capacity‑building tasks.

Key responsibilities

• Prepare media and materials for food safety research, including aflatoxin extraction, microbial isolation, and maintenance of fungal cultures.
• Assist with field data collection, site visits, key informant interviews, and market or facility assessments.
• Support food‑safety sensitisation efforts by demonstrating Aflasafe®, hermetic storage bags, and humidity cards.
• Maintain communication with stakeholders and help develop informal‑sector actors.

Required profile

• Ordinary National Diploma with at least eight years of relevant experience in media preparation and microbial extraction.
• Fluency in Yoruba and proficiency in English.
• Strong organisational, time‑management and stakeholder‑management abilities.
• Ability to work independently and within multidisciplinary teams while ensuring accuracy.

Required skills

• Use of digital tools for field data collection (e.g., KoboToolbox, ODK).
• Laboratory techniques for aflatoxin extraction and fungal culture maintenance.

What we offer

• Highly competitive salary with attractive benefits.
• Excellent working conditions on a pleasant campus environment.