About IRRI The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is dedicated to reducing poverty and hunger through rice science; improving the health and welfare of rice farmers and consumers; and protecting the rice-growing environment for future generations. IRRI is an independent, nonprofit, research and educational institute, founded in 1960 by the Ford and Rockefeller foundations with support from the Philippine government. The institute, headquartered in Los Baños, Philippines, has offices in 17 rice-growing countries in Asia and Africa, and over 1,000 staff.
Working with in-country partners, IRRI develops advanced rice varieties that yield more grain and better withstand pests and disease as well as flooding, drought, and other harmful effects of climate change.
Job Purpose
This position focuses on studying rice-associated microbes and identifying beneficial microbial strains that enhance disease resistance, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and contribute to other desirable agronomic traits. The successful candidate will contribute to the development of natural, microbe-based innovations aimed at improving rice health and promoting sustainable agricultural practices. This position offers an exciting opportunity to be part of cutting-edge research in microbial ecology, plant pathology, and sustainable agriculture. The selected candidate will play a key role in advancing our understanding of microbial interactions in rice ecosystems, with direct applications for enhancing crop resilience and environmental sustainability.
This position will be based at the IRRI Headquarters, Los Baños, Philippines and may only be filled by permanent citizens of the Philippines.
Roles and Responsibilities
- Under the guidance of Scientist II, facilitate the designing and implementation of all microbiome-related experiments and other microbiome-related activities
- Collection, isolation, and characterization of rice-associated microbes from soil and various plant tissues.
- Designing and conducting laboratory, greenhouse, and field experiments to assess the impact of beneficial microbes on rice health and productivity.
- Formulation and upscaling of microbial-based solutions for agricultural application.
- Contribution to scientific publications and reports, supporting the dissemination of research findings to both academic and industry stakeholders.
- Advise research activities improvement that are beneficial to the experiment
- Involvement in broader plant pathology research, including isolation and characterization of rice pathogens and the identification of microbes that enhance disease resistance
- Collaboration with research teams, including students, assistant scientists, and associate scientists in the Plant Pathology Lab.
- Communicate with internal partners and collaborators to exchange conceptual ideas and to effectively gather feedback for the advancement of assigned projects
- Work closely with research technicians in order to maintain smooth conduct of field and greenhouse experiments, and data compilation, as well as to foster a productive working environment
- Coordinate with required IRRI units for supplies and other services to ensure smooth implementation of experiments
- Provide support in the implementation of microbiome-related field and greenhouse experiments and other microbiome-related research studies
- Collect and analyze research data and contribute to the writing of manuscripts for reports/publications as well as presentations/posters for national and international conferences
- Administer effective coordination and preparation of trainings by ensuring that materials, logistics, and resource persons are appropriate to the defined objectives
- Maintain accurate data recording and update database for efficient storage and retrieval of information
- Prepare and submit research outputs to the Assistant Scientist and Scientist in a timely manner
- Assist in developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) with the guidance of the Assistant Scientist and Scientist
- Perform any other relevant duties as assigned by supervisor from time to time
Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Microbiology, Soil Science or other related studies with 2 years of relevant work experience
- Experience in microbial isolation, characterization, and plant-microbe interactions
- Experience in microbial formulation and scaling up bio-based solutions is an advantage.
Skills Required
Mandatory
- Has proven technical proficiency in conducting field and laboratory experiments
- Strong collaborative and organizational skills, with the ability to work in a multidisciplinary team.
Preferred
Has some experience supervising/overseeing the work of staff Has experience in using molecular laboratory equipment and instrumentation Has background in aseptic techniques, molecular techniques (e.g. PCR, DNA and RNA extraction, etc.), processing NGS data, and bioinformaticsIRRI offers a highly extensive employee benefits package inclusive of globally-covered medical insurance, retirement plan, life and accident insurance and other allowances.
Join our team and be part of our story!
Please note that only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
This position will remain open until filled.