Agricultural/Food Scientist II

Classification Title:

Agricultural/Food Scientist II

Classification Minimum Requirements

Doctoral degree in agricultural science, biology, or a closely related field; or a master's degree in agricultural science, biology, or a closely related field and one year of relevant experience; or a bachelor's degree in agricultural science, biology, or a closely related field and three years of relevant experience.

Job Description:

Research scaling coordination

• Work with SAFE faculty and subrecipients to identify SAFE research innovations with strong potential for adoption and scaling, such as resilient high-value crops, biosecurity measures, food safety practices, postharvest technologies, and market models.
• Lead scaling readiness assessments that evaluate an innovation’s maturity, demand, enabling conditions, and barriers to adoption, and use the results to set scaling priorities.
• Develop innovation-specific scaling strategies and pathways that define target users, delivery channels, scaling partners, and required resources.
• Support subrecipients in building scaling considerations into project design, workplans, and implementation from the outset.
• Advise the SAFE faculty and subrecipients on scaling approaches, including commercialization, public-sector extension, policy uptake, and private-sector delivery models.
• Work with the MEL team to define scaling indicators and to track, analyze, and document adoption and scaling outcomes.
• Capture scaling lessons and success stories. Coordinate with the Marketing and Communications Specialist to share them with donors, partners, and other stakeholders.

Partnership development coordination

• Develop and implement SAFE’s partnership strategy, identifying priority partners and engagement approaches in each target country.
• Map and assess government agencies, private-sector firms, NGOs, farmer organizations, research institutions, and donors working on high-value crops in SAFE’s target countries.
• Establish and maintain strategic partnerships. Coordinate the development of memoranda of understanding and other partnership agreements with SAFE leadership and UF offices.
• Identify and pursue co-investment, cost-share, and complementary funding opportunities, and contribute to proposals and concept notes that extend SAFE’s reach.
• Facilitate multi-stakeholder platforms and engagement with value-chain actors to support collaboration, learning, and the uptake of innovations.
• Strengthen links with Feed the Future mission, other Innovation Labs, and donor-funded programs to align efforts and leverage existing investments.
• Track partnership activities, contributions, and results, and report on partnership performance to SAFE leadership.

Travel and other tasks in support of the innovation lab, as assigned.

This is a time-limited position contingent on funding availability.

Expected Salary:

Salary is commensurate with education and experience

Required Qualifications:

Doctoral degree in agricultural science, biology, or a closely related field; or a master's degree in agricultural science, biology, or a closely related field and one year of relevant experience; or a bachelor's degree in agricultural science, biology, or a closely related field and three years of relevant experience.

Preferred

Master’s degree in agricultural science, biology, or a closely related field and three year of experience in the field or in a related area.

At least three years of relevant experience in innovation scaling, partnership development, or program coordination, preferably in agriculture or food systems.

Demonstrated experience building and managing partnerships with government agencies, private-sector firms, NGOs, research institutions, and donors.

Familiarity with scaling frameworks and tools, such as scaling readiness assessments, and with commercialization, private-sector delivery, and public-sector extension pathways.

Experience with resource mobilization, including identifying co-investment opportunities and contributing to proposals and concept notes.

Understanding of high-value crop value chains, market systems, or food safety in low- and middle-income countries.

Strong analytical and writing skills, with the ability to produce clear scaling strategies, partnership agreements, and reports.

Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

Excellent interpersonal, negotiation, and facilitation skills, including experience leading multi-stakeholder engagement.

Previous work experience with international development projects, preferably Feed the Future or other donor-funded programs.

Proficiency in Spanish or another language spoken in SAFE’s target countries, such as Nepali, Filipino, Amharic, or Swahili, is an advantage.

Willingness to travel internationally to SAFE’s target countries.

Experience involving multidisciplinary and international teams will be an asset.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

In order to be considered, you must upload your cover letter and resume.

Application must be submitted by 11:55 p.m. (ET) of the posting end date.

This is a time-limited position contingent on funding availability.

Health Assessment Required:

No