Scientist-Product Management

ICRISAT; Hyderabad; On-site; INR 1,800,000 - 3,500,000; Full time

Job summary

ICRISAT seeks a Scientist – Product Management to strengthen seed systems, varietal advancement, OFAR, EGT, and MET across Asia and Africa. The role involves product testing, evaluation, and evidence-based decision-making in collaboration with diverse partners.

The incumbent will guide trial management, data analysis, and dissemination of improved crop varieties, contributing to climate resilience and sustainable food systems under the Global Research Program.

Qualifications

• PhD in Agriculture, Seed Technology, Genetics, or a related agricultural science discipline.
• Experience in seed systems, varietal dissemination, OFAR, MET, and information delivery.
• Strong research experience with international exposure across Asia and Africa.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate early generation trials (EGT), product testing, OFAR, MET and varietal promotion with partners across agro-ecologies.
• Lead and support product testing and evaluation for climate-resilient varieties.
• Support data-driven varietal advancement and product placement decisions.
• Engage with regional and international partners on seed systems, testing, and dissemination initiatives.
• Provide scientific and technical guidance for trial management and seed production best practices.

Skills

Field trial management

Data analysis

Technical reporting

Proposal development

Scientific communication

Information delivery

Education

PhD in Agriculture

Seed Technology

Genetics

Related agricultural science

Job description

Scientist – Product Management[Internal Job Posting]ICRISAT seeks applications from dynamic and motivated professionals for the position of “Scientist – Product Management”. The position is required to strengthen seed systems, varietal advancement, On-Farm Adaptive Research (OFAR), Early generation trials (EGT), and Multi-Environment Trials (MET) for dryland crops across Asia and Africa through collaborative research, stakeholder engagement, product evaluation, and seed dissemination activities aimed at improving varietal adoption, climate resilience, and sustainable food systems under the Global Research Program, Accelerated Crop Improvement. The position is based in Patancheru, Hyderabad, India. This position is an Internal Job posting. ICRISAT is a non‑profit, non‑political organization that conducts agricultural research for development in Asia and sub‑Saharan Africa with a wide array of partners throughout the world. Covering 6.5 million square kilometres of land in 55 countries, the semi‑arid or dryland tropics has over 2 billion people and 644 million of these are the poorest of the poor. ICRISAT and its partners help empower these disadvantaged populations to overcome poverty, hunger and a degraded environment through better agricultural production systems. ICRISAT is headquartered at Patancheru near Hyderabad, India, with two regional hubs and eight country offices in sub‑Saharan Africa. ICRISAT envisions a prosperous, food‑secure and resilient dryland tropics. Its mission is to reduce poverty, hunger, malnutrition and environmental degradation in the dryland tropics. ICRISAT conducts research on its mandate crops of chickpea, pigeonpea, groundnut, sorghum, pearl millet and finger millet in the arid and semi‑arid tropics. The Institute focuses its work on the drylands and in protecting the environment. Tropical dryland areas are usually seen as resource‑poor and perennially beset by shocks such as drought, thereby trapping dryland communities in poverty and hunger and making them dependent on external aid.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate early generation trials (EGT), product testing, On-Farm Adaptive Research (OFAR), Multi-Environment Trials (MET) and varietal promotion through partnerships across diverse agro-ecologies to support varietal advancement, adaptation, stability assessment, product placement, and adoption of improved crop varieties of sorghum, pearl millet, small millets, pigeon pea, groundnut, and chickpea.
• Lead and support product testing and evaluation activities for climate‑resilient, market‑oriented, and farmer‑preferred crop varieties across target production environments.
• Support data‑driven varietal advancement and product placement decisions through field evaluation, phenotyping, farmer participatory selection, and performance analysis.
• Engage with ICRISAT partners and stakeholders across Asia and Africa in the design and implementation of research‑for‑development initiatives related to seed systems, product testing, varietal advancement, OFAR, and EGTT activities for dryland crops.
• Provide scientific and technical guidance for field testing, OFAR and EGT protocol development, trial management, and implementation of best practices in seed production and delivery systems.
• Collect, manage, analyse, and interpret field, OFAR, EGT, MET, seed systems, and adoption data to support evidence‑based decision‑making, product advancement, and testing processes.
• Conduct research on seed producibility of hybrids and varieties of ICRISAT crops by closely working with the SPR expert towards establishing a research unit for seed producibility. Guide students and scholars in SPR.
• Build strong collaborations with NARES, seed companies, extension systems, NGOs, government agencies, development organisations, and private sector partners for strengthening seed delivery systems and varietal dissemination activities.
• Represent the organisation within regional and international seed sector platforms and strengthen strategic partnerships to accelerate scaling and dissemination of improved crop varieties.
• Support development and implementation of innovative and demand‑led seed dissemination, commercialisation, and product placement models for dryland crops.
• Support seed production planning, seed multiplication, quality seed delivery, and scaling activities through collaboration with seed enterprises and value chain stakeholders.
• Develop and promote innovative approaches for the multiplication, dissemination, and commercialisation of public‑bred varieties of sorghum, pear millet, small millets, groundnut, pigeonpea and chickpea crops through public‑private partnerships.
• Facilitate capacity development and technical training programs for FPO/NGOs, extension personnel, farmers, and stakeholders on seed systems development, product testing, varietal evaluation, quality seed production, and crop management technologies.
• Develop linkages between seed systems, cropping systems, OFAR, MET activities, extension systems, and research programs to enhance delivery and adoption of improved crop technologies.
• Prepare technical reports, scientific publications, project proposals, presentations, protocols, and progress updates related to seed systems, product testing, varietal advancement, OFAR, MET, and crop improvement activities.
• Support resource mobilization efforts and contribute to the development of collaborative research proposals and strategic projects related to seed systems, product testing, and crop development activities.
• Promote socially inclusive approaches by supporting participation and empowerment of women and youth in seed systems, seed enterprises, and dryland farming systems through access to improved seeds, associated management technologies, and training on seed production technologies.
• Maintain effective coordination and collaboration with Research and Development (R&D) statutory bodies, multidisciplinary teams, and multicultural partners across regional and international research and development programs.

Requirements and Experience

• PhD in Agriculture, Seed Technology, Genetics, or a related agricultural science discipline.
• At least 5 years of experience in seed systems, varietal dissemination, varietal advancement, On-Farm Adaptive Research (OFAR), Multi-Environment Trials (MET), and information delivery activities.
• Demonstrated research experience with international exposure and experience working across Asia and Africa in multidisciplinary, cross-functional, and multicultural environments.
• Strong experience in crop improvement, seed systems, varietal evaluation, varietal advancement, product development, OFAR, MET, and multi-location field research in dryland crops.
• Proven knowledge and practical experience in seed systems, seed value chains, varietal adoption, commercialisation processes, and climate-resilient agriculture.
• Experience in managing donor-funded projects related to the seed sector in developing countries.
• Experience in stakeholder engagement, partnership development, capacity building, and collaborative research initiatives involving public, private, and development sector partners.
• Strong skills in field trial management, data analysis, technical reporting, proposal development, scientific communication, and information delivery.
• Experience with applied research and innovations in the seed sector, including varietal advancement, OFAR, and MET activities, will be an added advantage.
• Commitment to sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, food and nutritional security, and inclusive agricultural development.

Desired Skills

• Knowledge of seed systems, crop improvement, varietal advancement, OFAR, MET, and varietal adoption in dryland crops.
• Experience in field trials, seed production, data collection, varietal evaluation, and product development activities.
• Ability to work effectively with research organizations, seed companies, farmers, and other stakeholders.
• Strong communication, teamwork, leadership, and problem-solving skills.

General

This is a contractual role for a period of 36 months (03 years), renewable based on the performance of the incumbent and the institute’s continuing need for the position.

ICRISAT is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to increasing diversity and maintaining a progressive and inclusive workplace. We welcome applications from all qualified candidates regardless of their ethnicity, race, gender, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, age, marital status or whether they have a disability.