The International Center for Biosaline Agriculture(ICBA) is an international, non-profit agricultural research center established in 1999 through the visionary leadership of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund, the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development (AFESD), and the Government of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). ICBA is a unique applied agricultural research center in the world that is focused on marginal areas where an estimated 1.7 billion people live. It identifies, tests and introduces resource-efficient, climate-smart crops and technologies that are best suited to different regions affected by salinity, water scarcity and drought. Through its work, ICBA helps to improve food security and livelihoods for some of the poorest rural communities around the world. ICBA is an equal opportunity employer and appoints qualified staff regardless of race, creed, color, age, gender, religion or national origin. We demonstrate our commitment to each member of our team through a competitive benefits package designed to assist our employees to cover their needs and the needs of their immediate family members.
Job Summary
ICBA is looking for a highly skilled and motivated scientist with expertise in genomics, molecular biology, and marker-assisted breeding to join our research team. The successful candidate will play a key role in advancing our understanding of genetics and genomics to speed-up breeding programs. The scientist will further be responsible for designing and conducting experiments, analyzing genomic data, and trait-based marker development and marker-assisted germplasm enhancement applications in the ICBA breeding program, with a focus on tolerance to abiotic stresses, like salinity, heat, and drought etc.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead innovative resource mobilization efforts to strengthen the plant molecular biology research program at ICBA in close collaboration with similar research organizations
• Carry out innovative, impactful research on plant molecular biology that has strategic importance to ICBA in consultation with the plant breeding team, with a focus on prioritized crops.
• Design and conduct high-throughput sequencing experiments to analyze and understand plant genomes.
• Perform genetic mapping and linkage analysis to identify marker-trait associations for key crop specific traits as per product profiles.
• Identify genetic markers (SNPs/PCR-based) associated with desirable traits, high-throughput genotyping technologies involving novel molecular tools.
• Develop and implement marker-assisted breeding strategies to introgress beneficial traits into crop varieties.
• Contribute to the design of relevant experiments; supervise implementation, field management and data collection, and the production of relevant scientific publications.
• Collaborate with breeding and bioinformatic teams to provide genomic information to the breeding programs for better trait understanding and their integration into breeding pipelines
• Conduct DNA fingerprinting and molecular profiling of various crop varieties developed by ICBA and selected gene bank accessions.
• Collaborate effectively with interdisciplinary teams including molecular biologists, breeders, and bioinformaticians.
• Communicate research findings through presentations, reports, and scientific publications.
• Oversee and manage the ICBA molecular biology laboratory and its activities, ensuring adherence to safety protocols and standard operating procedures.
• Train and mentor other researchers, technicians, and students.

Qualifications and Experience

• Lead innovative resource mobilization efforts to strengthen the plant molecular biology research program at ICBA in close collaboration with similar research organizations
• Carry out innovative, impactful research on plant molecular biology that has strategic importance to ICBA in consultation with the plant breeding team, with a focus on prioritized crops.
• Design and conduct high-throughput sequencing experiments to analyze and understand plant genomes.
• Perform genetic mapping and linkage analysis to identify marker-trait associations for key crop specific traits as per product profiles.
• Identify genetic markers (SNPs/PCR-based) associated with desirable traits, high-throughput genotyping technologies involving novel molecular tools.
• Develop and implement marker-assisted breeding strategies to introgress beneficial traits into crop varieties.
• Contribute to the design of relevant experiments; supervise implementation, field management and data collection, and the production of relevant scientific publications.
• Collaborate with breeding and bioinformatic teams to provide genomic information to the breeding programs for better trait understanding and their integration into breeding pipelines
• Conduct DNA fingerprinting and molecular profiling of various crop varieties developed by ICBA and selected gene bank accessions.
• Collaborate effectively with interdisciplinary teams including molecular biologists, breeders, and bioinformaticians.
• Communicate research findings through presentations, reports, and scientific publications.
• Oversee and manage the ICBA molecular biology laboratory and its activities, ensuring adherence to safety protocols and standard operating procedures.
• Train and mentor other researchers, technicians, and students