Senior Scientist- Tree Breeding and Integrated Tree Seed Systems

6 days ago

Nairobi, Nairobi Area, Kenya Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and World Agroforestry (ICRAF) Full time $90,000 - $120,000 per year
1. Technical Aspects
  • Lead and contribute to research on tree seed systems, including the identification, establishment, and management of improved seed sources and breeding seed orchards, to enhance genetic quality, adaptability, and scalability of planting materials.
  • Analyze and influence institutional and policy environments governing tree seed and seedling supply chains, to strengthen regulatory frameworks and stakeholder alignment.
  • Drive resource mobilization for tree genetic resources programs, to expand research efforts and ensure long-term sustainability of seed systems innovations.
  • Establish and manage strategic networks and platforms with national, regional, and international partners on seed system development, to foster collaboration and cross-regional learning.
  • Contribute to the development of a Global Tropical Tree Seed Hub, to centralize efforts in quality seed delivery, innovation, and technical capacity across the tropics.
  • Contribute to species prioritisation and site-species matching methodologies, to support restoration effectiveness and climate-smart agroforestry.
  • Enhance access to climate-resilient and genetically diverse tree seeds and seedlings, in close collaboration with Theme teams, to promote ecosystem restoration, sustainable livelihoods, and biodiversity outcomes.
  • Collaborate actively with scientists and teams from other CIFOR-ICRAF Themes and regional programs to ensure interdisciplinary integration and coherence across landscape restoration and agroforestry initiatives.
  • Design and deliver training programs, tools, and curricula on seed systems and seed quality standards, to build institutional and community-level capacities.
  • Provide expert technical support and advisory services to national and international stakeholders, to improve seed value chains and project outcomes.
  • Ensure high-quality technical reporting and knowledge outputs are delivered on time, aligned with project milestones and donor expectations, to support transparency, learning, and scaling.
2. Project and People Management
  • Provide strategic oversight and operational leadership across tree seed system initiatives, ensuring integration of technical, financial institutional, and policy components to deliver high quality outputs and outcomes.
  • Coordinate, manage, and follow up execution of complex multi-country projects, including those involving the development and scaling of improved seed sources and breeding systems, aligned with CIFOR-ICRAF's restoration and agroforestry objectives.
  • Supervise and mentor multidisciplinary teams (staff, consultants, fellows, and partners), fostering a collaborative, high-performance culture that supports scientific rigor and innovation.
  • Guide the preparation of project implementation plans, workstreams, and budgets, ensuring timely delivery, efficiency, and alignment with donor requirements and institutional policies.
  • Ensure robust monitoring, evaluation, and learning (MEL) systems are embedded within project cycles to track progress, capture insights, and inform adaptive management.
  • Contribute to donor relations, including the development of progress and technical reports, active participation in donor meetings, and alignment of deliverables with partner expectations.
  • Support the organization and facilitation of technical workshops, knowledge exchange events, and stakeholder engagements, contributing to the visibility and uptake of research findings.
  • Collaborate with Theme leader and other relevant team scientists in the formulation and monitoring of the annual Program of Work and Budget (PWB), integrating project-level priorities into broader strategic plans.
  • Ensure full compliance with institutional and donor standards, including risk mitigation, gender and social inclusion, and safeguarding protocols.
  • Identify and assess operational or reputational risks across project sites, propose solutions or mitigating actions, and escalate critical issues where necessary to Theme or Country leadership.
  • Represent CIFOR-ICRAF in national and international technical, policy, and donor platforms, contributing expert insights on seed systems to shape global restoration agendas.
  • Actively collaborate with other CIFOR-ICRAF Themes and regional programs, ensuring alignment and mutual reinforcement of efforts across organizational initiatives.


Requirements 1. Education:

PhD in forestry, plant sciences, environmental sciences, or a closely related field, with a specialization in tree genetic resources, seed systems, forest ecology, or restoration science.

2. Experience:
  • At least 7 years of post-doctoral research and scientific experience, including work on tree seed systems, tree improvement, and landscape restoration.
  • Minimum 4 years in leading complex, multi-country research-for-development projects, preferably also in Africa, with demonstrated experience in interdisciplinary coordination.
  • Proven experience in engaging with policy makers, private sector, and community-level stakeholders, and facilitating multi-stakeholder platforms.
  • Demonstrated success in resource mobilization as role, including developing competitive grant proposals, writing funding applications, and managing donor-funded projects.
  • Strong track record of peer-reviewed publications, technical outputs, and knowledge products relevant to tree seed systems.
  • Experience in curriculum development and capacity strengthening, particularly in seed systems or applied forestry.

  • Research Technician

    4 days ago

    Nairobi, Nairobi Area, Kenya Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and World Agroforestry (ICRAF) Full time $70,000 - $120,000 per year

    Document demand for trials seed production as guided by scientists and coordinate the seed production.Maintain seed inventory and supervise short term trial seed storage.Design and pack trials under the direction of a scientist.Establish trials in the designated testing sitesEnsure trials and demonstrations are established on time and planted according to...

  • Expert Data Scientists on Credit Scoring

    6 days ago

    Nairobi, Nairobi Area, Kenya Tezza Business Solutions Ltd Full time $90,000 - $120,000 per year

    Job Title: Expert Data Scientist on Credit ScoringJob Purpose Statement:Data Science is a function within Data Management Office whose role is to transform raw data into actionable insights that drive smarter decision-making, stronger risk management and improved customer experiences. Leveraging on advanced analytics, statistic modelling and machine...

  • Research Technician

    5 days ago

    Nairobi, Nairobi Area, Kenya Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and World Agroforestry (ICRAF) Full time $70,000 - $120,000 per year

    Management of phenotyping nurseries and trials.Work closely with CIMMYT scientists and NARS implementing partners to ensure timely land preparation, seed assembly and planting of trials/nurseries according to the experimental design. Ensure proper agronomic management of trials like application of fertilizer, timely irrigation, weed and pest control Ensure...

  • Senior Data Scientist

    6 days ago

    Nairobi, Nairobi Area, Kenya BURN MANUFACTURING Full time $90,000 - $120,000 per year

    About the role BURN is looking for a Senior Data Scientist who will spearhead the design, implementation, and scaling of AI and machine learning solutions, driving innovation, and delivering measurable impact across the organization. This role integrates strategic vision, hands-on technical expertise, and cross-functional collaboration to solve business...

  • Senior Data Scientist

    6 days ago

    Nairobi, Nairobi Area, Kenya Value8 Group Full time $60,000 - $100,000 per year

    Job DescriptionData mining or extracting usable data from valuable data sources. Using machine learning tools to select features, create and optimize classifiers Carrying out the preprocessing of structured and unstructured data Enhancing data collection procedures to include all relevant information for developing analytic systems Processing, cleansing,...

  • Social Media Manager

    6 days ago

    Nairobi, Nairobi Area, Kenya Treegens Full time $104,000 - $130,878 per year

    Company DescriptionWe are growing a movement of tree planters through rewarding and transparent tree planting technology. By gamifying mangrove tree planting on the blockchain via our Proof of Plant Protocol, we are committed to putting our values into what we value most: the environment. Our innovative approach combines technology and environmental...

  • Data Scientist

    6 days ago

    Nairobi, Nairobi Area, Kenya KenyaMOJA Full time $80,000 - $120,000 per year

    Job Description/RequirementsJOB SUMMARYRequirementsBachelors or master's in computer science, machine learning, or related field  5+ years of industry experience working on data scientist with a focus on data modelling, stakeholder management and data mining., Proficiency using machine learning frameworks like keras, pytorch, Tensorflow, sckit-learn,...

  • Senior Data Science Manager

    6 days ago

    Nairobi, Nairobi Area, Kenya SWATX Full time $90,000 - $120,000 per year

    SWATX is looking for a visionary and results-driven Senior Data Science Manager to join our leadership team. In this pivotal role, you will be responsible for overseeing the strategic direction and execution of data science initiatives across the organization. You will lead a talented team of data scientists, driving innovation in predictive modeling,...

  • Senior Quality Engineer

    6 days ago

    Nairobi, Nairobi Area, Kenya ReliefWeb Full time $60,000 - $100,000 per year

    Kenya + 1 moreSenior Quality EngineerOrganizationOne Acre FundPosted 20 Aug 2025 Closing date 18 Nov 2025About One Acre FundFounded in 2006, One Acre Fund equips 5.5 million smallholder farmers to make their farms more productive. Across nine countries that together are home to two-thirds of Africa's farmers, we provide high-quality farm supplies, tree...

  • Data Science Manager

    6 days ago

    Nairobi, Nairobi Area, Kenya SWATX Full time $90,000 - $120,000 per year

    SWATX is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Data Science Manager to lead our growing data science team. In this strategic role, you will be responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of data-driven solutions to solve complex business challenges. You will mentor and guide a team of data scientists, driving innovation and excellence in...