Senior Scientist- Tree Breeding and Integrated Tree Seed Systems

Duties and responsibilities

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.
  
  

Education, knowledge and experience

• Strategic thinking and systems approach to seed systems development.
• Excellent leadership, organizational, and communication skills.
• High proficiency in project planning, reporting, and budget management.
• Ability to work across diverse cultural and institutional contexts.
• Familiarity with the operational environments of CGIAR or similar international research organizations is an advantage.