VP Research & Development - Chief Scientist

About IFDC

IFDC is a public international research for development organization active in around 27 countries in Africa, Asia, and America. IFDC uniquely approaches the global issues of food security and poverty by bridging the gap between research and impact, combining science-based innovations, holistic market systems development, an enabling policy environment, and strategic partnerships to assist farmers and countries to identify and scale sustainable agricultural solutions, including improved nutrient use efficiency. These approaches are needed to boost soil health and crop productivity while reducing the environmental impact of fertilizer use. IFDC translates research into action by using locally driven, environmentally sound, and impact-oriented solutions. With our partners, we seek to close the yield gap, eradicate global hunger, safeguard the soil on which our lives depend, and generate economic resilience for farming households and the countries in which they live.

Context

Fundamental improvements in soil health and plant nutrition will be required to meet the challenge of sustainably feeding 10 billion people by 2050. Global population growth will drive a substantial increase in food demand, while climate change and degraded soils are already accelerating the risks affecting food production, particularly in poorer regions. Major changes in agricultural systems - especially improvements in nutrient use efficiency and soil health - will be required to meet our shared challenge of creating a more food-secure, environmentally sustainable world.

Achieving impact at scale requires research and technology adapted to smallholder needs but must go beyond technology development. IFDC experts and their partners work across the discovery-to-consumer system. This includes developing and testing of advanced fertilizers, biominerals, green ammonia application and related nutrient management technologies; design energy efficient fertilizer manufacturing, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and quality control processes; and applied environmental policy and regulatory analysis. With an emphasis on working with strategic partners and strengthening local capacity, IFDC bridges the traditional gaps between research, technology dissemination, and market systems that often undermine efforts to innovate, achieve results, and sustain impact at scale.

Responsibilities

The Vice President of Research and Development

• Chief Scientist is responsible for:

• Leading the strategic direction, planning, execution, and oversight of the IFDC's global research and development agenda.

• Engaging in thought leadership in fertilizer innovation and soil health, and being actively involved in the global network and coalition of academia in fertilizer and soil health.

• Leading and empowering the global team of scientists, modelers, lab and greenhouse technicians, and chemical and process engineers to take on new challenges, pursue new ideas, and embrace change within a changing world of fertilizer and soil health innovation.

• Fostering a culture of creativity, collaboration, and excellence within the research and development team, providing guidance, feedback, coaching, and mentoring to staff and promoting their professional growth and development.

• Leading the development of new business opportunities and capacity development.

• Conducting market research, performing competitor analysis, and seeking customer feedback to identify emerging trends, needs, opportunities, and challenges in the fertilizer sector and to informing the research and development strategy and roadmap.

• Establishing and monitoring key performance indicators and metrics to assess the outputs and outcomes of the Research and Development Division and progress toward institutional goals in alignment with the center's vision, mission, and mandate.

• Evaluating and prioritizing the research and development pipeline, ensuring that the projects and initiatives are aligned with farming requirements, market demands, and the strategic priorities of the center.

• Ensuring the quality of the research and development deliverables through testing, validation, and verification in compliance with the center's standards, policies, and procedures as well as applicable laws, regulations, and best practices.

• Maintaining and updating Research and Development Division documentation, reports, and records, ensuring accuracy, completeness, and accessibility of the information.

• Leading the research and evaluation of new technologies, tools, and methods that can enhance research and development capabilities and recommending and implementing appropriate solutions.

• Consulting and collaborating with other researchers and experts in the field of fertilizer and soil health and contributing to the advancement of knowledge and innovation in this area.

• Publishing and presenting research and development findings and outcomes in reputable journals, conferences, and forums and establishing IFDC's reputation as a thought leader in fertilizer and soil health.

Requirements

• Ph.D. in agricultural science (agronomy, agricultural economics, soil, chemistry, environment) or a related field.

• At least 15 years of experience in research and development, with substantial international activities in developing countries.

• An understanding of fertilizer technology, agricultural systems, soil health, soil and plant nutrition, and the fertilizer industry and the socio-economic aspects of fertilizer adoption.

• A proven track record of leading successful research and development projects and delivering outputs and outcomes.

• Relevant publications, articles, and conference presentations.

• Strong leadership, management, and communication skills.

• Ability to think strategically, creatively, and analytically.

• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic, and collaborative environment.

• A passion for innovation and excellence.

Reporting and Work Relationships

The Vice President of Research and Development

• Chief Scientist reports to the President and CEO of IFDC and is a member of the global management team. The person in this role works closely with the external partners, donor communities, regulators, universities, industry, and the research and programs committee of the IFDC board of directors to ensure that the research deliverables - publications, products, and services - meet the highest standards of quality and innovation in the center's quest to sustain and improve soil health and food production.

Location

This is an international recruitment, with a duty station in the IFDC office in Muscle Shoals, AL. National and international travel is anticipated to constitute 40-50% of the role.

Benefits

IFDC's benefits include annual and sick leave, health, dental, vision and group life insurance coverage, a 13th-month salary, social security and pension contribution in compliance with local laws.

Salary Clause

The salary grade for this position is BG 13.

The determination of new employee salaries takes into account various factors. These include the salary range linked to the assigned job grade, the candidate's qualifications in relation to the job's responsibilities and prerequisites, internal fairness, and the level of competitiveness in the job market as well as potential organizational and budgetary considerations.

Diversity Clause

IFDC is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion and offers equal employment opportunities based on ability, performance, and potential. Equal opportunity is integral to the recruitment and selection practices at IFDC. IFDC recognizes the value in recruiting employees with different backgrounds, knowledge, experiences, perspectives, and beliefs. IFDC recognizes and values the contribution of people with a diverse background in capabilities, experience, and perspectives. Diversity encompasses gender, age, experience, education, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, and cultural backgrounds as well as other dimensions, such as lifestyle and family responsibilities.

Research and Development Division

The IFDC strategy consists of four pillars, and the Research and Development Division covers the first: Develop, identify, and test technologies and innovations to improve soil health and plant nutrition. A new generation of soil and plant health technologies is emerging as scientific understanding of critical soil-plant-ecosystem relationships improves, but they currently target advanced large-scale farming systems in high-income countries. Working with national, regional, and international partners, IFDC focuses on developing, testing, and adapting promising technologies for smallholder systems, which involves the following:

• Develop more nutrient-efficient, environmentally sustainable fertilizers. IFDC tests and adapts advanced technologies, including stabilizers, inhibitors, and biodegradable polymer and micronutrient coatings, to regulate nutrient release and reduce runoff, leaching, and greenhouse gas emissions.

• Identify soil and crop system nutrient deficiencies. Emerging new technologies will significantly improve future fertilizer recommendations. These include spectral soil and crop analysis, satellite imagery showing spatial variation in yield and water use efficiency, and information and communication technologies that share instant, site-specific crop management recommendations at low cost. IFDC validates these technologies at the field level by undertaking experimental trials with national partners to develop tested, profitable fertilizer recommendations for farmers.

• Scale up the production and adoption of new fertilizer technologies. IFDC uses its Soil-SMaRT framework (Soil testing, Mapping, Recommendations development, and Technology transfer) to map soils at national and regional levels, evaluate balanced fertilizers through crop trials, and guide the scaling up of private sector-led production of new tailored fertilizers. IFDC's pilot plant facilities and engineering team work with private sector partners to test the technical and financial feasibility of manufacturing high-quality improved fertilizer blends, coatings, and compounds at different production scales.

• Refine and scale Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM 2.0). Fostering a Green Revolution in Africa requires rebuilding degraded soils with chemical fertilizers, organic materials, and other soil amendments. ISFM strategies developed by IFDC and partners in the 1990s emphasized ex-situ organic materials, but the extra labor required to source, transport, and integrate these materials proved costly and challenging for smallholders and limited uptake. Going forward, the emphasis will change to creating and managing organic matter from the field itself to nourish the soil, combined with the application of inorganic fertilizers that are balanced to address soil nutrient deficiencies. Key approaches include production ecology, modeling, and design of organic/inorganic fertilizers and complementary technologies that work with the soil microbiome; management of biomass and its impact on soil health and plant nutrition; and development of fertilizers and organo-minerals produced with local resources.