Readvertisement - Data Scientist; Scientist/Senior Scientist
Reports to : Research Team Leader - Soils, Waters and Agronomy
Location : Abu Dhabi, UAE
Main purpose of the positionICARDA is working towards developing a climate‑resilient and digitally advanced agrifood sector for the global drylands. Its areas of focus encompass agronomy, climate, crop improvement, socioeconomics, small ruminants, soil, and water challenges, employing methods such as situ observations, experiments, process modeling, stakeholder engagement, and a suite of digital initiatives under CGIAR. This position is ideal for a Data Scientist with expertise in Predictive or Generative AI, Machine Learning, Applied Statistics, or Systems Modeling.
This position is designed to work in close coordination with the Geo Agro Research Team, complementing its leadership in climate change science, geospatial analysis, and digital agriculture innovation. As ICARDA advances integrated AI solutions that draw on geospatial analytics, machine learning, crop and soil modeling, and diverse data streams, this role ensures strong collaboration across research teams—particularly with Geo Agro, which leads ICARDA’s Cross‑Cutting Research Theme on Climate‑Smart Predictive Agriculture.
The Data Scientist will be embedded within ICARDA’s institutional structure and will actively collaborate with biophysical modelers, geospatial scientists, climatologists, and other domain experts to co‑develop data science–driven international public goods. This alignment fosters synergy, avoids duplication, and reinforces ICARDA’s capacity to deliver scalable, cross‑program innovations for dryland resilience.
About ICARDAThe International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) is a treaty‑based international non‑profit research organization supported by CGIAR.
ICARDA’s mission is to reduce poverty, enhance food, water, and nutritional security, as well as environmental health in the face of global challenges including climate change. We do this through innovative science, strategic partnerships, linking research to development, and capacity development that takes into account gender equality and the role of youth in transforming the dry areas. ICARDA works in partnership with governments, universities, civil society, national agricultural research organizations, other CGIAR Research Centers, and the private sector.
With its temporary Headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon, ICARDA operates in regional and country offices across Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. For more information :(Use the "Apply for this Job" box below). .
- Work across various ICARDA programs with a cohort of datasets : geospatial, biophysical, climatic, genomic and socioeconomic datasets to improve predictive capabilities of various agrifood system processes (from gene to regional scales).
- Develop Predictive AI solutions (machine learning, ANN, big data‑based forecasting) and use generative AI applications to accelerate resilience in agriculture in the non‑tropical drylands where ICARDA operates.
- Example works include, but not limited to, mapping crop yield gaps, crop‑water relations, soil salinity, climate risks, crop and livestock disease outbreaks, pest infestations, crop ideotype design, analyzing HTP phenotypic data, mapping soil carbon, and socioeconomic processes etc. Utilize geospatial analysis and remote sensing to assess dynamics of land use, crop conditions, and natural resources in irrigated, rainfed, deserts and rangelands, TPE analytics to help crop improvement etc.
- Take leadership in cloud‑based Data / AI workflows using AWS, Azure, or GCP along with the necessary cyber security protocols.
- Provide thought leadership and advocacy for the application of different Large Language Models (LLMs) and GPTs for agricultural applications, such as text analysis of agricultural reports and farmer interviews. Provide supervision and oversight to test the efficacy of the LLMs / GPTs developed in CGIAR and bilateral initiatives for e‑extension service platforms and other tools.
- Engage in science‑policy dialogues on digital actions with the key stakeholders at national and sub‑national levels and liaise with key partners and play an active role in…
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