Senior Agronomist – Agroforestry Cropping Systems Research

About the role

One Acre Fund is seeking a senior agronomist to lead integrated research on mixed annual‑perennial cropping systems in Rwanda. The role will guide a multidisciplinary team, oversee a soil and plant laboratory, and translate scientific findings into scalable solutions for smallholder farmers.

Key responsibilities

• Lead applied research on cropping and farming systems, supervising related research portfolios.
• Design and execute multidisciplinary trials, modelling, and impact assessments to identify high‑impact, scalable practices.
• Co‑develop strategies with specialists in integrated pest management, plant nutrient management, and livestock integration.
• Assess feasibility, adoption potential, and risk of new products and practices through rigorous analysis.
• Oversee trial implementation, ensure data quality, and synthesize complex datasets into actionable insights and decision‑support tools.
• Translate research outcomes into extension materials, recommendations, and operational interventions for farmers.
• Provide strategic leadership for soil and plant laboratory operations, guiding resourcing and analytical methods.

Required profile

• Advanced degree in agronomy, agroforestry, plant science, or a related field.
• Proven experience leading large‑scale agricultural research projects and supervising multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong background in designing experiments, impact modelling, and data analysis.
• Demonstrated ability to develop scalable recommendations and extension materials for smallholder contexts.
• Excellent communication skills for translating scientific results to operational teams and farmers.

Required skills

What we offer

• Opportunity to influence agricultural resilience for millions of smallholder farmers.
• Collaborative environment with a mission‑driven team across Rwanda.
• Access to state‑of‑the‑art soil and plant laboratory facilities.