Academic Job Description

School of Integrative Plant Science

Research Associate - Agricultural Economics

The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) is a pioneer of purpose-driven science and Cornell University's second largest college. We work across disciplines to tackle the challenges of our time through world-renowned research, education, and outreach. The questions we probe and the answers we seek focus on three overlapping concerns: We believe that achieving next-generation scientific breakthroughs requires an understanding of the world's complex, interlocking systems. We believe that access to nutritious food and a healthy environment is a fundamental human right. We believe that ensuring a prosperous global future depends on the ability to support local people and communities everywhere. By working in and across multiple scientific areas, CALS can address challenges and opportunities of the greatest relevance, here in New York, across the nation, and around the world.

Position Function

The research associate will co-lead the Priority Setting (PS) Objective Area of the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Crop Improvement (ILCI) as outlined below.

Anticipated Division of Time

Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Crop Improvement (70%) The Research Associate will lead research design within Priority Setting (PS) Objective Area:

Work collaboratively with ILCI international partners to strengthen the collection of unbiased and representative agricultural data on crop trait preferences of farming households and stakeholders along orphan crops value chains.
Design and test new participatory and inclusive approaches to integrate and coordinate stakeholders' ecological knowledge with breeding technical knowledge. Particular attention will be devoted to embedding farmers' knowledge in priority setting tools and methods utilized by social scientists in cross-functional breeding teams.
Design, adapt and test methods and tools which use DNA fingerprinting technology to track adoption and variety richness by national agricultural research institutes. Particular attention will be devoted to participatory and inclusive protocols, embedding inclusive criteria for sampling respondents and tissues in the field.
Work collaboratively with cross-cutting team (CCT) team on the research, capacity development, and engagement to increase the awareness and strategic integration of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) mandated consideration of the following cross-cutting themes among Innovation Lab core team and Centers of Innovation (grant awardees): gender equity, youth inclusion, nutrition security, and resilience.
Work collaboratively with international partners in project-based partnerships, to design and test participatory and inclusive priority setting methods, tools and frameworks. This activity includes, among others, the co-design of adoption studies, on-farm testing approaches (e.g., triadic comparison of technologies) and intra-household surveys.
Feedback into ILCI international partners proposed research and activities to increase local understanding of priority setting issues and their potential relationship to adoption of improved crop varieties.

The Research Associate will take on leadership responsibilities which include:

Visioning, development, and implementation of priority setting and social inclusion strategy for the innovation lab, successfully developing partnership and funding opportunities to expand Objective Area activities.
Decision-making and delineation of team members' roles and responsibilities.
Addressing additional needs as they arise.
Serve on the ILCI Operations Group.
Engage with other Feed the Future Innovation Labs and/or other related organizations regarding priority setting themes, as appropriate.

The Research Associate will be engaged in supervision, which includes:

Engaging students (graduate, undergraduate, and visiting) and fellows (e.g., visiting scholars from international partners) in term-specific engagements, co-developing experience-appropriate, meaningful learning experiences as identified through learning objectives and goals.
Supervise and support graduate and undergraduate students in developing and writing the final project to obtain the degree (e.g., capstone project, thesis), as arises.
Supervise and support graduate research assistants, trainees and aids as arises

The Research Associate will take on Capacity Building and Training roles, which include:

Developing and strategic planning of capacity building activities as related to the overall goal of supporting international partners and ILCI in the development of socially inclusive tools, technologies, and methods.
Facilitating short-term secondment opportunities for junior and middle-level researchers based in-country and at Cornell University.
Leading the bi-weekly Office Hours open to ILCI Priority Setting and Cross-Cutting Themes points of contact, to create cross-learning opportunities among international partners.
Identifying, maintaining, and building relationships with strategic partners outside ILCI to facilitate learning opportunities and potential collaborations on priority setting.
Providing technical input into and review training material design and delivery.
Coordinating with ILCI Management Entity to create opportunities for organizing learning events and workshops in-country or at Cornell and during ILCI Annual Meetings.

The Research Associate will coordinate Engagement with:

Other ILCI Objective Areas to unlock interdisciplinary research collaborations. This includes the co-development of project-based research activities on cross-cutting topics of interest (e.g., adoption, resilience, gender).
ILCI international partners, to serve as a facilitator for the exchange of lessons learnt, best practices and research experiences on the topics of priority setting and cross-cutting themes.
Faculty and scholars at Cornell University, with particular attention to researchers in the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, Global Development, and the School of Integrative Plant Science, to foster collaboration around topics of agricultural economics and international agriculture for development.
Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) team within ILCI, to track and report of Priority Setting objective area activities while ensuring that indicators and tracking mechanisms reflect priority setting and cross-cutting theme topics and activities.

The Research Associate will work in close collaboration with the Cross-Cutting Themes Objective Area and

Foster the integration cross-cutting team perspective, research, and tools into the development of Priority setting tools, technologies, and methods.
Attend and provide technical inputs into the Monthly Meetings with international partners (led by CCT team), including leading sessions on research methods and ensuring consideration of priority setting - related themes on additional topics.

Feed the Future Insect-Resistant Eggplant Partnership (20%)

Design, analyze and publish a randomized control trial experiment on the effect of Bt-eggplant exposure on households' income, productivity and health and intra-household dynamics of empowerment, in collaboration with scholars from the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management.
Coordinate with the Insect-Resistant Eggplant Partnership to present the results from the randomized control trial and compile lessons learnt from dynamics of adoption/dis-adoption which can be informative for subsequent rollouts of the project and the technology.
Based on funding availability, design and perform qualitative data collection in the field to further investigate trends and findings raised by the randomized control trial experiment.

Other (10%)Presentations and Publications

The Research Associate will present and submit for peer-review the research conducted as specified in the points above.
Service
The Research Associate will serve on the Admissions Committee for the Field of Plant Breeding 2024.
The Research Associate will be a member and actively support the development of Prof. Hale Ann Tufan's research lab, contributing to the on-boarding of new members and to the development of the Lab research and administrative infrastructure.

Teaching

As arises, the Research Associate will be invited to guest lecture in courses proposed by the School of Integrative Plant Science, the Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management and Global Development.
Based on the availability of students and courses, the Research Associate will be invited to teach a maximum of one class per semester.
Grants
The Research Associate will be encouraged to participate in the development and submit grants for research and travel funding.

Requirements

The research associate will have a PhD in Economics, Development Economics or Agricultural Economics, with preference for candidates who have experience in international agriculture for development and agricultural economics. The candidate is expected to have demonstrated experience in quantitative research methods and analysis and he/she is expected to have worked with national agriculture research institutes in low and middle-income countries. Experience in primary data collection is required. The candidate should also demonstrate the ability to publish and work with interdisciplinary teams. Previous experience with supervision, capacity strengthening/mentoring, and contextual knowledge of research in agri-food systems and the environment in international contexts are essential.

Salary:

CALS hiring range for this title is$58,500 - $82,000

This is a one-year appointment, renewable contingent on performance, funding, and available work.

Supervision Exercised

Hale Ann Tufan will supervise this position. The Research Associate will supervise students, fellows, and consultants who join the projects as needed.

To apply:

Please apply via Academic Jobs Online (

Qualified candidates should submit a short cover letter, curriculum vitae, contact information for three references, and a statement supporting diverse communities (this can be a stand-alone document (preferred) or the information can be embedded in other parts of the application materials) outlining how, through research, teaching, service, mentoring, extension, and/or outreach, the candidate has and will contribute to support Cornell's historical mission of "any person ... any study," via the website.

College of Agriculture and Life Sciences

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University Job Title:
Research Associate
Job Family:
Research
Level:
No Grade - Annual
Pay Rate Type:
Salary
Pay Range:
$49,100.00 - $94,700.00
Remote Option Availability:
Fully Onsite
Company:
Endowed
Contact Name:
Joan Olson

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Diversity and Inclusion are a part of Cornell University's heritage. We are a recognized employer and educator valuing AA/EEO, and we do not tolerate discrimination based on any protected characteristic, including race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex/gender, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual's genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.

Cornell University embraces diversity and seeks candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff to all identities and backgrounds. We encourage individuals from underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.
2023-12-21