Senior Scientist, Climate Change Forests and Livelihoods Programme (Ext Closing Date)

Senior Scientist, Climate Change
Forests and Livelihoods Programme

The Center for International Forestry Research advances human wellbeing, environmental conservation and equity by conducting research to inform policies and practices that affect forests in developing countries. We are one of 15 centres within the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). Our headquarters are in Bogor, Indonesia, and we have offices in Asia, Africa and South America.

CIFOR is looking for a dynamic and visionary Senior Scientist to join its climate change team.

The Scientist will work on forest, climate change and livelihoods issues and will manage a project on the synergies between mitigation and adaptation to climate change in the Congo Basin. The work includes significant management and coordination and research on livelihoods, governance and climate change. The Senior Scientist will report to the Director of Forests and Livelihoods Programme.

Duties and responsibilities

Conduct research in the project Climate Change and Forests in the Congo Basin: Synergies between Adaptation and Mitigation (COBAM)

This involves, among others:

1. Teaming up with scientists working on the COBAM project to implement research activities.
2. Working with local, national and regional stakeholders and CIFOR governance scientist to analyse policies related to regional and national policies related to forests and climate change.
3. Analyzing the vulnerability of local communities and define adaptation in selected sites.
4. Analyzing REDD+ opportunities, their governance challenges and their potential impacts on livelihoods. (REDD+ stands for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and enhancing carbon stocks).
5. Recommending approaches for designing local projects that enhance synergies between mitigation and adaptation and identify and bring in partnerships for implementing such projects.
6. Developing national and regional strategies for mainstreaming adaptation and REDD in forest policies and fostering synergies between adaptation and mitigation.
7. Undertaking appropriate research that meets the objectives of CIFOR research domains 1 and 2 (respectively, climate change mitigation and adaptation), and producing publications and briefs, including peer-reviewed publications.

Manage and coordinate the COBAM project

This task includes, among other things:

1. Teaming up with scientists across all of our programs to implement the project
2. Coordinating and managing the participation of scientists from CIFOR and international and national partner organisations.
3. Communicating, sharing knowledge and building capacities at local, subnational and national levels about adaptation and REDD+ in the Congo Basin forests.
4. Developing and maintaining donor relations, reporting to donors and making sure that donor requirements are met.

Contribute to our research goals on livelihoods and climate change

This task includes, among other things:

1. Serving as a facilitator and resource person for Forests, Livelihoods and Climate Change. This could include attending donor meetings, contributing to research proposals, representing CIFOR at international meetings and engaging with a variety of partners and stakeholders.
2. Coordinating with managers of other projects to leverage funding and activities in the area of climate change.
3. Provide scientific leadership and management of staff engaged in our projects related to livelihoods and climate change.
4. Developing and maintaining functional partnerships.
5. Supporting capacity building initiatives and staff development and encouraging continuous improvement and learning.

Details of duties, assignments and objectives will be further discussed and laid out in the staff’s annual performance contract.

Requirements

Education, experience and technical skills

• PhD in an appropriate discipline, with excellent knowledge and understanding of forests, livelihoods, and climate change issues.
• At least 6 years of relevant experience in collaborative research.
• Strong publications record especially in peer-reviewed publications.
• Track record in resource mobilisation or fund raising and in proposal development and writing.
• Fluency in English and French is required.

Personal attributes and competencies

• Strong project management, managerial and organisational skill, experience in project management
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, experienced in working with multicultural and multidisciplinary research teams, experience in Central Africa or in developing countries.
• Excellent facilitation and team-building capacity.
• Values the sharing of information and continuous improvement in a cooperative atmosphere of constructive evaluation and learning, and is committed to staff development.

Terms and conditions

• This is an internationally recruited position. CIFOR offers a competitive remuneration commensurate with skills and experience.
• The initial appointment will be for 3 years starting as soon as possible and including the standard 1-year probationary period, with possible extension contingent upon performance, continued relevance of the position and available resources.
• The duty station will be in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

Application process

• The application deadline is 31 May 2010.
• We will acknowledge all applications, but we will contact only short-listed candidates. Please send your letter of interest and CV, including contact information for three referees to:

Human Resources Department, CIFOR
cifor-hr@cgiar.org
Please indicate the position in the email subject line.

CIFOR is an equal opportunity employer. Staff diversity contributes to excellence.

Yaoundé, Cameroon