- Nairobi, Kenya
- CapDev
The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) seeks to recruit an MSc graduate fellow to work on a Cross-sectional study of mastitis in dairy cattle in Nandi County. The successful fellow will be hosted by the Livestock Genetics program at ILRI.
ILRI works to improve food and nutritional security and reduce poverty in developing countries through research for efficient, safe and sustainable use of livestock. It is the only one of 15 CGIAR research centers dedicated entirely to animal agriculture research for the developing world. Co-hosted by Kenya and Ethiopia, it has regional or country offices in East, South and Southern Asia as well as Central, East, Southern and West Africa. www.ilri.org
The Livestock Genetics program’s approach is to identify genetic/breeding bottlenecks limiting the benefits of livestock for small-scale farmers. The program works with partners to apply established approaches to neglected systems (for example improved artificial insemination delivery), while simultaneously seeking innovative solutions which can accelerate (or skip) traditional approaches—for example use of genome editing. https://www.ilri.org/research/programs/livestock-genetics
About the position
The dairy industry is an emerging sector of the livestock industry in many lower and middle-income countries (LMICs) particularly in Africa. Structured dairy cattle breeding programs, such as the African Dairy Genetic Gains (ADGG) project, are currently being implemented for improved performance and production. The ADGG program is a farmer-focused partnership that records and disseminates on-farm productivity and genetic information on dairy cattle.Â
The data generated by the ADGG project aims to assist farmers to improve cow management, improve animal and herd productivity as well as increasing income for smallholder dairy farmers. The ADGG project consists of performance recording and sampling systems for dairy cattle. Performance information and genetic analysis is used to develop systems to select crossbred bulls and cows of superior genetic merit for Artificial Insemination and natural mating.
A challenge to productivity in dairy farming is mastitis. Previous work has indicated that the incidence of mastitis may be as high as 50%. Pathogens that cause mastitis may also develop antimicrobial resistance reducing the effectiveness of treatment.Â
To address this major challenge for dairy producers and to reduce both the economic losses from discarded milk, we will conduct a longitudinal study of mastitis in cows. This will generate the disease and infection phenotypes that can then be linked to the ADGG genotypes to deliver genomic tools to develop resistance/tolerance to diseases.
We are recruiting an MSc student to conduct the baseline cross-sectional study to the determine the prevalence of mastitis causing pathogens in a population of dairy cattle in Nandi County, Kenya.
Responsibilities of the fellow:
- Collect survey data using Open Data Kit (ODK).
- Collect samples from cattle.
- Run microbiological and molecular tests for pathogens such as E. coli, Staphylococcus, Streptococcus and antimicrobial resistance.
- Risk factor analysis.
- Conduct statistical analysis of data using appropriate methods.
- Preparation of research proposal and thesis for purposes of academic attainment.
Minimum requirements
The ideal candidate should:
- Have registered in a recognized university and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in biological sciences or related field.
- Have completed their course work and is ready to begin the research component of their study.
- Possess working knowledge of MS Office applications.
- Exhibit field experience conducting surveys and administering questionnaires using ODK.
- Experience in laboratory methods – microbiology and PCR.
- Display good understanding of data handling techniques, analysis, especially involving use of statistical packages such as STATA, R or Python.
- Show excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
Location: ILRI – Kenya
Duration: 5 months
Terms of appointment and stipend: ILRI will offer a competitive stipend to cover living expenses, medical insurance cover, and meet research expenses. The successful candidate will be supervised jointly by an ILRI scientist and the university/academic supervisor/s.
How to apply
Applications should be sent to the Capacity Development Manager, ILRI by clicking on the tab “APPLY NOW” on or before 17th July 2024. The position title and reference number REF: GF/LG /01/2024 should be clearly marked on the subject line of the cover letter.
We thank all applicants for their interest in working for ILRI. Due to the volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
ILRI does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing or training). ILRI also does not concern itself with information on applicants’ bank accounts.
To find out more about ILRI visit our websites at http://www.ilri.org