International Fertilizer Development Center Vacancies 2020

Over the past decade or so Ghana has embarked on an agenda to develop its fertilizer sector. Different initiatives have sought to improve fertilizer consumption and use through several subsidy programs for farmers and the formulation of a fertilizer policy to guide fertilizer production, marketing and quality control. The realization of a need to harmonize all these efforts has led to the formation of a Team tasked to develop a Fertilizer Expansion Program for the country. Furthermore, balanced fertilizers are essential for sustainable agricultural intensification in Ghana. Widespread adoption of appropriate fertilizers requires a transformation of the fertilizer and food systems that must be driven by evidence-based agro-technical perspectives embedded in multi-stakeholder processes to create enabling conditions for adoption, which is the aim of the public-private program Fertilizer Research and Responsible Implementation

Job Description

Job Title: Database Administrator

IFDC leads this 5-year program, carrying out the implementation component and co-supervising the researchers in the program. This program will focus on developing the fertilizer industrial sector, developing and optimizing the value chain and creating demand for fertilizers.

Managing such a massive program is complex that requires a tool and well-functioning data management system to ensure that the program is effective in targeting the required locations and the intended people. The tool and system should be able to map all FERARI project locations, and track progress and outputs down to the smallholder farmer level, spatially analyze, present and visualize all project results.

Scope of Work

Our project needs a reliable Database Administrator and Geographical Information System (GIS) Specialist with affiliation to agriculture, to join our team. We’re looking for a college graduate with journey-level skills and a desire to expand his or her skill set and experience. The ideal candidate will be able to function effectively with limited oversight and moderate on-site training. He or she should understand the importance of database integrity in terms of both efficiency and security, very good and practically excellent in the use of spatial analysis tools such as GIS in analyzing, extrapolating and making inference from large data base set, and with programming skills such as in “R”. Our team includes some of the brightest minds in the academia and we hope to add you to our roster.

Key job responsibilities

• Excellent in Geographical Information System software use (ArcGIS, QGIS, e.tc.)
• Install server software
• Configure database servers
• Monitor and maintain system health and security
• Design backup processes for server and associated data
• Create accounts for all users and assign security levels
• Establish a disaster recovery protocol
• Provide end-to-end technical support and problem resolution
• Schedule and perform regular server maintenance
• Create database management procedures
• Evaluate data analysis models and procedures
• Participate in FERARIs cross-training program
• Ability to program or willingness to learn

Support and supervision

The candidate will collaborate with the following projects

• EnGRAIS
• AfricaFertilizer.org (https://africafertilizer.org/)

The candidate will be supervised by the program coordinators of FERARI.

Timing, Duration and Place of Work:

The duration of this contract is 12 months (starting immediately), with possibility for extension.

Required Skills

• Good analytical skills
• Excellent in geospatial analysis
• Bachelor’s Degree in Geoinformation related program with excellent theoretical and practical knowledge in ArcGIS, R-Software and other geospatial analysis software
• Advanced knowledge of database structure and theory
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision and assistance
• Affinity with agricultural sciences

Required Experience

• 4+ years’ professional experience or internship