Job Description
MSC Student -RMRN-EA -ADVERT
The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives. Alliance solutions address the global crises of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.With novel partnerships, the Alliance generates evidence and mainstreams innovations to transform food systems and landscapes so that they sustain the planet, drive prosperity, and nourish people.The Alliance is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future.
Position Summary
Alliance is seeking to recruit an MSC Student to carry out research on the agroecology policy landscape in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
The position will contribute to work undertaken in the Regional Multi-actor Research Network for Agroecology in East Africa (RMRN-EA), led by icipe, whose objective is to contribute to a sustainable agri-food system transition based on agroecological principles in sub-Saharan Africa through the establishment and operationalisation of a regional multi-actor research network for agroecology in East Africa (RMRN-EA).
Specifically, this activity is intended to assess the extent to which agricultural, food systems or trade-related policies in the region foster or hinder agroecological practices. This analysis will look at institutional policies within the participating organizations in the projects, i.e. the universities and the NARS organizations, national policies of the participating countries, and regional policies, including the East African development strategy, the East African bioeconomy strategy and other related regional policy initiatives that impact on agroecology.
This position will (1) identify appropriate policy and institutional analysis concepts, tools and methods – including by building on existing and observing relevant articulation with other policy-related work undertaken at the Alliance (see, for instance, the PEPA resource book), (2) enrich the concept by mobilizing and leveraging relevant policy and institutional analysis work at the home university, (3) develop and implement a research concept for the analysis of the East African policy landscape. This research concept is expected to propose a well-articulated, theoretically grounded, and methodologically sound integrated policy and institutional analysis that investigates the policy landscape in East Africa, as well as the institutional policies of a major universities and national research centers (NARES) in East Africa, in view of enablers, barriers, and opportunities for introducing agroecology curriculum development in a broader effort to strengthen agroecology research and practice in East Africa. The study is expected to combine desk research with (mostly qualitative and mixed methods) field research. This applied study is expected to produce contextually suitable, evidence-based, and actionable learnings.
Main Responsibilities:
· Co-develop a research proposal on agroecology policy in East Africa with guidance from supervisors.
· Present and revise the proposal based on feedback from the Agroecology Policy Working Group (APWG).
· Conduct desk and field research using qualitative and mixed methods.
· Analyze policies from universities, national research institutions, and regional bodies.
· Prepare a research report and a publishable paper.
· Participate in team meetings and contribute to broader project activities.
· Preparation of detailed activity budgets for approval of the supervisor; handling of advance payments; handling of facilitation of workshop participants; proper documentation; filing of returns
· Reporting according to agreed-upon timelines
Requirements
Technical Competencies
- At least BSc or equivalent in agricultural, environmental, or political sciences
- Is expected to be enrolled at a university for a higher degree in a related field as well to which the study can contribute
- No experience required, but prior engagement with policy analysis, agroecology, and (international) agricultural research is an advantage.
- Qualitative and mixed research methods: other research methods are an advantage
- Agroecology and related concepts
- Scientific writing
- Research ethics and methods
- Research project management, planning and reporting
Benefits
Terms of employment:
This position will be based in Nairobi, Kenya with implementation in all three implementation countries (Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania). The initial contract will be for period of one (1) year and is renewable depending on performance and availability of resources. Alliance offers a multicultural, collegial research environment with competitive salary and excellent benefits; we believe that the diversity of our staff contributes to excellence. Alliance is an equal opportunity employer and strives for staff diversity in gender and nationality.
Applications
Applicants are invited to visit https://www.bioversityinternational.org/jobs/ to get full details of the position and to submit their applications. Applications MUST include reference number Ref: RFP300941- MSC Student -RMRN-EA as the position applied for. Application and CV should be saved as one document using the candidate’s lastname, firstname for ease of sorting.
Note: The Alliance does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing or training). The Alliance also does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.
Applications closing date: 13/11/2025
Please note that email applications will not be considered.
