• Job Description

  Req#: 1717195
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  IMPORTANT NOTICE: Please note that Closure Date and Time displayed above are based on date and time settings of your personal device

  FAO seeks gender, geographical and linguistic diversity in its staff and international consultants in order to best serve FAO Members in all regions.

  • FAO is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality, background and culture
  • Qualified female applicants, qualified nationals of non-and under-represented Members and person with disabilities are encouraged to apply
  • Everyone who works for FAO is required to adhere to the highest standards of integrity and professional conduct, and to uphold FAO's values
  • FAO, as a Specialized Agency of the United Nations, has a zero-tolerance policy for conduct that is incompatible with its status, objectives and mandate, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination
  • All selected candidates will undergo rigorous reference and background checks
  • All applications will be treated with the strictest confidentiality
  • FAO staff are subject to the authority of the Director-General, who may assign them to any of the activities or offices of the Organization.

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  Organizational Setting

  Upon request from the Government of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, represented by the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka; the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) will provide technical assistance for the improvement of livelihood of farmers of selected districts through increasing productivity of paddy while diversifying a sizable quantity of paddy lands with legumes and other field crops (OFC) using Climate Smart Good Agriculture Practices (CSGAP) with increased cropping intensity, efficient water and fertilizer management systems which leads to increase overall land productivity, profitability, and sustainability of the system.

  
  Reporting Lines

  The incumbent will work under the overall supervision of the FAO Representative, direct supervision of the Assistant FAO Representative (Programme) and the National Project Manager and in close coordination with Administrative Section of the FAO Representation and consultants in the project and will work in close collaboration with other Government counterparts, the Lead Technical Officer (LTO), and Lead Technical Unit in FAO HQ.

  
  Technical Focus

  Integrated Pest Management in paddy and OFCs.

  
  Tasks and responsibilities

  • Conduct a need assessment on the management of pest and diseases of the rice based eco-system.
  • Prepare IPM strategy to be applicable for paddy and OFC.
  • Identify interventions required to increase productivity and management of biotic stresses.
  • Provide technical support to test novel technologies on IPM at the Rice Research and Development Institute (RRDI) and Field Crop Research and Development Institute (FCRDI).
  • Provide technical input towards the development of the curriculum, training material, related knowledge products and the structure of the training on IPM to be delivered to all the trainers in the Training of trainers (TOTs) on climate smart OFC and paddy farming with advanced technologies.
  • Conducting the IPM section of the TOTs on climate smart OFC and paddy farming with advanced technologies.
  • Provide technical oversight during farmer field schools (FFS) on climate smart OFC and paddy farming with advanced technologies.
  • Provide technical support to the farmers in applying location specific technology packages including IPM to increase productivity.
  • Identify novel technologies on IPM to be tested at different research institutes and provide comprehensive reports.
  • Provide technical input to conduct crop clinics and field days.
  • Provide professional input on integrated pest management working closely with relevant government agencies and private sector

  
  CANDIDATES WILL BE ASSESSED AGAINST THE FOLLOWING

  
  Minimum Requirements

  • Advanced degree in Plant Pest and Disease Management, Agriculture Entomology, Plant Sciences, Agronomy, Plant Disease Management, or related fields.
  • 10 years of relevant experience in plant pest management.
  • Working knowledge of English and Sinhala/Tamil.
  • National of Sri Lanka or resident in the country with a valid work permit.

  
  FAO Core Competencies

  • Results Focus
  • Teamwork
  • Communication
  • Building Effective Relationships
  • Knowledge Sharing and Continuous Improvement

  
  Technical/Functional Skills

  • Experience in integrated pest management, specifically in paddy and/or other field crops.
  • Experience in development of pest management strategies, training modules and conducting trainings.
  • Familiarity with examining and analysing the agronomical practices and techniques to improve the crop productivity.

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  Please note that all candidates should adhere to FAO Values of Commitment to FAO, Respect for All and Integrity and Transparency.

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  ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

  • FAO does not charge a fee at any stage of the recruitment process (application, interview meeting, processing).
  • Incomplete applications will not be considered. If you need help or have queries, please contact: Careers@fao.org
  • Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.
  • Only language proficiency certificates from UN accredited external providers and/or FAO language official examinations (LPE, ILE, LRT) will be accepted as proof of the level of knowledge of languages indicated in the online applications.
  • For other issues, visit the FAO employment website: http://www.fao.org/employment/home/en/
  • Appointment will be subject to certification that the candidate is medically fit for appointment, accreditation, any residency or visa requirements, and security clearances.

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  HOW TO APPLY

  • To apply, visit the recruitment website at Jobs at FAO and complete your online profile. We strongly recommend that your profile is accurate, complete and includes your employment records, academic qualifications, and language skills
  • Candidates are requested to attach a letter of motivation to the online profile
  • Once your profile is completed, please apply, and submit your application
  • Candidates may be requested to provide performance assessments and authorization to conduct verification checks of past and present work, character, education, military and police records to ascertain any and all information which may be pertinent to the employment qualifications
  • Incomplete applications will not be considered
  • Personal information provided on your application may be shared within FAO and with other companies acting on FAO’s behalf to provide employment support services such as pre-screening of applications, assessment tests, background checks and other related services. You will be asked to provide your consent before submitting your application. You may withdraw consent at any time, by withdrawing your application, in such case FAO will no longer be able to consider your application
  • Only applications received through the FAO recruitment portal will be considered
  • Your application will be screened based on the information provided in your online profile
  • We encourage applicants to submit the application well before the deadline date.

  If you need help or have queries, please create a one-time registration with FAO’s client support team for further assistance: https://fao.service-now.com/csp

  FAO IS A NON-SMOKING ENVIRONMENT

• About the company

  The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security.

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