TASHKENT INSTITUTE OF IRRIGATION
AND AGRICULTURAL MECHANIZATION
ENGINEERS

The Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers (TIIAME) seeks to recruit a Local Coordinator of SUSADICA (Structured doctoral program on “Sustainable Agricultural Development in Central Asia”). The position is part time (50%) and tenable at the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers, Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

The position is supported by the TIIAME, Justus Liebig University, Giessen and with funds from the Volkswagen Foundation. The local coordinator will be working closely together with SUSADICA project staff, PhD students and their supervisors as well as with TIIAME administration, teaching staff and students.

Tentative duration of the position: 01 June 2021 till 31 May 2022 with possible extension of the contract upon performance.

Deadline for applications: 1 May 2020

SUSADICA project background

SUSADICA aims at the creation of a collaborative research environment for doctoral researchers that is based at the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Agricultural Mechanization Engineers (TIIAME) in Uzbekistan and that is established and maintained jointly with Justus Liebig University Giessen (JLU), Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO) in Halle, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), and a network of international partners. The establishment of this Graduate School was driven by four guiding principles:

1. A competitive and transparent recruitment of doctoral researchers,
2. A focus on research topics that build a bridge between the international academic discourse and agricultural development challenges relevant for Central Asia,
3. The structured education and training of the doctorate students that enables them to conduct independent research, and
4. Their integration into a network of international partners and events.

Research and education in the SUSADICA project are structured along the three dimensions of economic, social, and ecological sustainability and the five research areas (1) farm restructuring & labour relations, (2) agricultural innovation & technology, (3) agricultural policy, (4) environmental change & agriculture, (5) water governance. More information about the project and its activities can be seem from the project website https://www.iamo.de/susadica

Currently the SUSADICA project is in the phase of identifying further collaborative strategy between participating German organizations and TIIAME and setting new plans and activities within its doctoral program. In this regard, presence of a local SUSADICA coordinator will provide efficient collaboration with the SUSADICA coordinator, TIIAME and other partners in Central Asia, ensure timely, and need based implementation of research and other academic activities in TIIAME.

Required Qualifications

• Worked or currently working in TIIAME
• Completed PhD or Candidate of Sciences degree in a relevant field

• Willingness to work in new and challenging environments
• Demonstrated ability to work in multi-disciplinary and collaborative teams
• Ability to develop and manage research and development projects
• Understanding of key focal areas of TIIAME in Uzbekistan.

Languages

Fluency in oral and written English. Competency in Russian is an advantage, as is knowledge of Uzbek.

The tasks and activities of the Local Coordinator will include:

1. Administratively support the joint supervision of SUSADICA PhD students by professors from TIIAME and the German partner universities, as well as the supervision of independent researchers linked to the SUSADICA project, through:
   1. Establishment and maintenance of working relations with the TIIAME rectorate and administration on a regular basis;
   2. Organization of timely support for obtaining visa, temporary registration and accommodation of SUSADICA PhD students (issuing invitation letters from TIIAME and their back up with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) and guest researchers during lecturing or research stays;
   3. Assistance and timely provision of institutional support for PhD students including arrangements in their access to research sites and data relevant data collection sources for their PhD research. This also includes provision of letters of support to local authorities and relevant ministries, agencies). The SUSADICA students can directly approach the local coordinator with requests.
   4. Support to PhD students who are planning to defend their PhDs in TIIAME with necessary guidance through the defense rules and document preparations and submissions.
       
2. Administratively support SUSADICA-related teaching and training activities for MSc and PhD students as well as faculty at TIIAME by:
   1. Co-development a time plan of SUSADICA events in TIIAME which includes seminars, workshops, module courses and conferences;
   2. Facilitation and co-organization of seminars, workshops, module courses and conferences related to SUSADICA events in TIIAME;
   3. Elaboration of activities, events and support to SUSADICA students and partners in sharing experiences and teaching in TIIAME;
   4. Establishment of capacity building and mentoring activities and events for TIIAME PhD students and Postdocs by SUSADICA team and stakeholders;
   5. Together with SUSADICA project team and TIIAME to identify courses (example: research methods, econometrics, water economics, transition management, academic writing) and topics to which international partners can contribute with courses being accounted towards credits and degrees.

3. Administratively support activities to acquire follow-up funding for the SUSADICA project at TIIAME by:
4. 1. Liaision with stakeholders of the Doctoral Programme (Central Asian partners, especially Uzbek academia and international donors, as well as advisory board members, national government organisations, research-funding organisations in Uzbekistan) on potential joint research and project opportunities, joint events and activities.
   2. Support to the SUSADICA coordinators and PhD students in writing proposals and obtaining funding from funding agencies in Uzbekistan such as ‘El Yurt Umidi Fund’ or grants of the ‘Ministry of Innovational Development’ or other similar local and international funding organization and agencies for activities of SUSADICA projects (visits to Germany for module courses or scientific exchanges).
   3. Provision of ideas and development of options to extend the Doctoral Programme beyond the project period (ending in 2022), linking SUSADICA project activities with other on-going or future projects of TIIAME.
5. Other SUSADICA-related administrative support at TIIAME:
6. 1. Preparation of annual report of SUSADICA in Uzbek language for TIIAME and the Ministry of Higher and Secondary-Specialized Education of the Republic of Uzbekistan and other reports relevant required by the TIIAME administration.
   2. Support in preparing and presenting reports or answers to requests from TIIAME and stakeholders of the project in Uzbekistan.

SUSADICA local coordinator will be employed by the SUSADICA project for the period of one year with possible extension of the period.

This will be a fixed term appointment with a competitive salary, taxable according to the legislation of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

The monthly salary of the local coordinator will be funded through the SUSADICA project budget, administered by TIIAME.

The local coordinator will be reporting to the TIIAME vice-rector of international cooperation.

How to Apply

Send a covering letter and an up-to-date CV to susadica.phd@gmail.com  

Please send your applications with the following subject header of the email: “SUSADICA Local Coordinator position”.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and invited for interviews with representatives of the SUSADICA and TIIAME.