Research Assistant

Virginia Tech IPMA (Integrated Pest Management Activity)

Virginia Tech IPMA (Integrated Pest Management Activity)

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Summary

• Vacancy: —
• Location: Satkhira
• Experience: At least 5 years
• Published: 1 Oct 2024

Requirements

Education

Agriculture Diploma or a related field.

Experience

• At least 5 years

Additional Requirements

• Five years’ experience in the field of research and extension.

• A clear understanding of pests and diseases of crops in Bangladesh.

• Understanding of Integrated Pest Management is must.

• Experience in writing scientific reports.

• Strong action research background is desirable.

• Fluency in English and Bengali.

• Experience using mobile data collection applications and tools.

• Microsoft office more particularly word, excel, power point.

Responsibilities & Context

Feed the Future Bangladesh Integrated Pest Management Activity (FTFBIPMA)

Position: Research Assistant

Project: Feed the Future Bangladesh Integrated Pest Management Activity (FTFBIPMA)

Work Site: Satkhira

Report to: Deputy Program Manager

Supervising: N/A

Project Background:

The USAID Bangladesh Mission supported IPM Activity is a three-year initiative with the goal of strengthening the capacity of Bangladesh’s agricultural sector stakeholders to control and prevent the spread of current and emerging threats in order to ensure more efficient, profitable, and environmentally safe agricultural production and productivity. The Activity is in one hand promotes IPM packages for 13 different crops resulting creation of demand of IPM technologies while on the other hand supports private companies marketing IPM technologies/ products i.e., biopesticides, pheromone lures and traps to develop distribution network so that last mile farmers can get them at their closest proximate. Pheromone traps are innovations which contribute to addressing different destructive insects without relying on synthetic pesticides. Therefore, pheromone-based solution is considered as one of the technologies of IPM.

The ATGC Biotech is one of the leading private sector entities in India innovated different formulations of pheromone lures. It has wide range of mating disruptions for different noxious insects including brinjal shoot and fruit borer (BSFB). IPM Activity has planned to conduct research on the efficacy of mating disruption against BSFB in partnership with potential private company marketing IPM products in Bangladesh, research, extension, and academia.

Job Summary:

• The Research Assistant will report to the Deputy Program Manager (DPM). The main responsibilities of the Research Assistant are to plan, implement, monitor and report of the research on the efficacy of mating disruption against BSFB. The Research Assistant will coordinate with regional level research taskforce including private sector entity, research, and extension.

• The Research Assistant will maintain a database and enter the required data online to be developed by the MEL Specialist. The Research Assistant will work closely with stakeholders involved with the research to ensure punctual data collection, management and analysis, and routine presentation of accurate information in fortnightly/monthly basis.

• The Research Assistant will manage a set of monitoring forms for data collection during the implementation of the research activity. The Research Assistant is also responsible to showcase the results of the research among the farmers. The Research Assistant will also present pest population dynamic based on the data to be collected from both treatment and control plots. S/he will prepare research reports and share them with different stakeholders. S/he will also prepare research articles based on the results obtained.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Set up research on the efficacy of mating disruption against BSFB following the research design.

• Form regional research taskforce including one representative from private entity, DAE, regional research station and engage them in the implementation of research.

• Collect data on a regular basis as per research design and upload data at online data platform.

• Keep regular contact with both control and treatment farmers and showcase results among the farmers.

• Provide support to farmers to transplant eggplant seedlings following similar doses of fertilizers, spacing and cultural practices including other pests and diseases management.

• Share updates of the research findings on a regular basis with the central research taskforce including project management.

• Organize Farmer Field Days at the middle of the production to showcase the results among the neighboring farmers.

• Prepare scientific research report and submit to the experts for editing.

• Mobilize regional stakeholders including farmers, private entity, research, and extension to participate in the national level workshop.

• Prepare research article and take initiative for publication in relevant journals.

• Provide support in producing reports, papers, manuals, and training materials.

• Assist in the preparation of USAID progress reports, including but not limited to monthly, quarterly, and annual reports.

• Attending meetings as directed by the CPM/DPM, taking minutes, and reporting back to the CPM/CPM.

Employment Status

Full Time

Job Location

Satkhira

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