Senior Scientist – CCCAP (G-26-31)

About the position: The Senior Scientist will be based in Beijing, China, and will report to Crop Improvement Lead. The position will provide strategic scientific leadership for the implementation of CIP's Medium-Term Science Plan (2026–2027) and CIP2030 across China and the Asia-Pacific region through the China Center for Asia Pacific (CCCAP). The role will strengthen CIP's crop improvement portfolio for potato and sweetpotato by fostering strategic partnerships, providing scientific and technical backstopping to national partners, promoting innovation in breeding, genetics, biotechnology, and gene editing, and facilitating knowledge exchange to address regional agricultural priorities.

The Senior Scientist will also lead stakeholder engagement and resource mobilization efforts, represent CIP within China's agricultural innovation ecosystem, and strengthen collaboration among national research organizations, universities, government agencies, CGIAR partners, and the private sector. Through these efforts, the position will enhance CCCAP's role as a regional platform for scientific collaboration, innovation, and research-for-development, contributing to CIP's institutional positioning and long-term impact across Asia-Pacific.

Key responsibilities:

Scientific Leadership and Research Strategy

• Lead the strategic planning, development, and implementation of CCCAP’s potato breeding, genetics, biotechnology, gene editing, cultivation research agenda aligned with CIP’s global research priorities.
  
• Assess emerging scientific trends, technologies, and research opportunities in China and Asia Pacific to ensure innovation and relevance in breeding programs.
  
• Design, develop, and oversee innovative breeding methodologies, research frameworks, tools, and applications to strengthen potato improvement programs in China and the Asia-Pacific region.
  
• Lead multidisciplinary and collaborative research initiatives integrating genetics, genomics, breeding, phenotyping, and data-driven approaches.
  
• Lead and support pre-breeding activities to broaden the genetic base of potato (and sweetpotato) breeding programs, facilitating the identification, characterization, and utilization of diverse germplasm and novel traits relevant to regional breeding priorities.
  
• Strengthen collaboration with the CIP genebank and global crop improvement teams to promote effective use of genetic resources, facilitate germplasm exchange, and support integration of pre-breeding materials into regional breeding pipelines.
  
• Introduce and scale innovative breeding technologies and approaches that strengthen research impact and adoption.
  
• Ensure research activities incorporate research-for-development priorities and contribute to policy and development outcomes.
  

Partnerships, Representation, and Stakeholder Engagement

• Represent CIP and CCCAP as a scientific focal point in potato breeding and genetics within China and the Asia-Pacific region.
  
• Develop, lead and implement resource mobilization initiatives, including the preparation of competitive research proposals, concept notes and donor engagement activities.
  
• Build and strengthen strategic partnerships with national agricultural research systems, universities, government institutions, donors, private sector organizations, and international partners.
  
• Lead stakeholder engagement and collaborative initiatives that strengthen research impact, policy influence, and institutional positioning.
  
• Promote knowledge exchange, capacity strengthening, and scientific collaboration with regional and international partners.
  
• Serve as a spokesperson and representative of scientific research for CIP in conferences, workshops, technical meetings, and external forums.
  
• Support the positioning and implementation of CIP’s research and development agenda within CCCAP and across regional partnerships.
  
• Strengthen coordination between CCCAP, CIP headquarters, and regional operational teams to ensure alignment and effective collaboration.
  
• Supervise, coach, and mentor researchers, associates, students, interns, and technical staff jointly with the Director of CCCAP.
  
• Foster an inclusive, collaborative, and high-performing scientific environment.
  
  

Research Program Management and Delivery

• Lead and oversee the implementation of research portfolios, projects, and breeding pipelines, ensuring alignment with approved objectives, milestones, budgets, and quality standards.
  
• Oversee compliance with organizational research standards, biosafety requirements, protocols, and operational guidelines.
  
• Lead the preparation and dissemination of high-quality scientific publications, technical reports, presentations, and knowledge products.
  
• Support the development and scaling of improved potato varieties and breeding products adapted to regional needs.
  

Expertise and Specialization:

• Ph.D. degree in plant sciences such as plant breeding, agronomy,  or other relevant degree.
  
• 8–10 years of experience in plant breeding, genetics, crop improvement, and coordination of multidisciplinary breeding or research programs.
  
• Strong understanding of breeding methodologies, quantitative genetics, and integration of phenotypic, genotypic, and pre-breeding approaches in crop improvement programs.
  
• Extensive experience in plant breeding, genetics and variety development, including management of multi-location breeding trials and collaborative breeding networks demonstrated experience in strategic partnership development, resource mobilization, and leadership of multidisciplinary research teams
  
• Experience working with national agricultural research systems, universities, and regional partners in Asia is highly desirable.
  
• 2-3 years of experience in an operating role in global research organizations or business enterprises in multiple countries or equivalent.
  
• Progressive international experience in similar research and/or development organizations.
  
• Good understanding of China’s innovation ecosystem related to CIP’s research agenda (CAAS, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, MOST, NSFC, CICAD, main universities)
  
• Wide, deep professional network within and beyond China.
  

Leadership competencies:

• Empowering & Coaching
  
• Navigating & Driving change
  
• Wellbeing & Inclusion
  
• Vision & Strategic Thinking
  

Languages:

• Fluent written and spoken communication skills in English.
  
• Fluent written and spoken communication skills in Chinese mandarin is highly desirable
  

Personal characteristics:

• A passionate, energetic, and results-oriented Scientific Leader.
  
• Commitment to working in a multi-partner and multi-cultural environment.