Overview

About our organization: CIMMYT is a cutting edge, non-profit, international organization dedicated to solving tomorrow’s problems today. It is entrusted with fostering improved quantity, quality, and dependability of production systems and basic cereals such as maize, wheat, sorghum, millets, and associated crops through applied agricultural science, particularly in the Global South, through building strong partnerships. This combination enhances the livelihood trajectories and resilience of millions of resource-poor farmers, while working towards a more productive, inclusive, and resilient agrifood system within planetary boundaries. For more information, visit: cimmyt.org In Kenya, CIMMYT is hosted by World Agroforestry (ICRAF), a member of the CGIAR that is headquartered on United Nations Avenue, Nairobi, Kenya. We invite you to learn more about CIMMYT and World Agroforestry by accessing our web sites: www.cimmyt.org and www.worldagroforestry.org CIMMYT is looking for a: Research Technician – Sorghum Breeding The technician will be responsible for day-to-day field operations that ensure breeding materials are correctly handled, trials are well managed, and field data are captured accurately for use in predictive breeding workflows. The role will also provide practical support to collaborating project teams by assisting with the movement of breeding material and the advancement of selected lines through the breeding pipeline.

Duties and responsibilities

 Breeding operations support.

• Support breeding activities by helping coordinate the movement of genetic material through successive breeding stages.
• Assist with preparation, labeling, storage, and dispatch of materials for rapid-cycle advancement.
• Maintain accurate records of breeding materials.
• Support timely transfer of selected material between greenhouse, nursery, and breeding pipeline stages.

 Cross and seed logistics.

• Prepare and organize seed packets, crossing kits, envelopes, labels, and other materials required for breeding operations.
• Assist with seed sorting, packaging, reconciliation, and dispatch for crossing and advancement activities.
• Support tracking of parental lines, cross progenies, and advanced breeding materials to ensure identity and traceability.
• Help maintain orderly seed stores and breeding operation supplies.

 Support rapid early-generation cycling.

• Assist in handling materials from rapid cycling crosses, including progenies from early-generation crosses and related advancement materials.
• Ensure breeding materials are moved quickly and accurately between activities to minimize delays in the pipeline.
• Support preparation of materials for recurrent crossing and advancement under the RCGS workflow.
• Help maintain continuity of materials across breeding cycles and breeding generation transitions.

 Coordination of trial kits. 

• Work with Trialing Research Associate in preparing trial kits, labels, materials, and documentation required for multi-location sparse testing.
• Ensure that all items needed for field trials (seeds, plot QR code labels) are packed and dispatched correctly and on time.
• Coordinate with field teams, breeders, and logistics staff to ensure smooth delivery of trial kits to partners.
• Keep checklists and inventories for all kits and dispatched materials.

Data recording and documentation.

• Record breeding operation details accurately, including dates of crossing, dispatch, and sparse testing location details such as trial planting harvesting and data return, and material movement.
• Ensure all genetic materials and experiments are recorded in EBS.
• Assist with basic data entry and file organization related to breeding operations.
• Support documentation needed for quality assurance, traceability, and reporting.

Collaboration with scientists.

• Work closely with the Plant Breeder and other scientists to implement operational aspects of RCGS.
• Support the conversion of genomic selection decisions into practical breeding actions.
• Coordinate with breeders to ensure selected materials are prepared and moved efficiently through the pipeline.
• Provide operational feedback on bottlenecks, delays, losses, or material-handling issues.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture, Crop Science, Seed Science, Plant Breeding, Agronomy, or a related field
• Practical experience in seed handling, breeding nursery support, or agricultural research operations in a large plant breeding program.
• Experience supporting breeding programs, crossing work, or germplasm logistics.
• Familiarity with dryland crops such as sorghum, pearl millet, or finger millet.
• Experience in seed labeling, inventory management, or breeding pipeline tracking.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced research environment with multiple deadlines.
• Willingness to support occasional travel to partner sites.