Sep 27, ILRI PhD Graduate Fellowship: Intelligence for Responsible Innovation and Scaling Jobs in Kenya

Scope of Work

The science of scaling is a new, exciting field of study that is concerned with better understanding and guiding the scaling of innovation for achieving positive societal impacts such as those defined under the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The PhD will be action-oriented in that it seeks to conduct scientific research in support of achieving development outcomes and impacts.

The design, testing and validation of decision-support tools to advance intelligence for responsible innovation and scaling with CGIAR and partners will be a central part of the PhD project. The CGIAR Regional Integrated Initiative on Diversification in East and Southern Africa (Ukama Ustawi) offers a dynamic environment for data collection and piloting new approaches with CGIAR and partner innovation development teams.

This PhD fellowship will play a key role in advancing the science of scaling. The state-of-the-art knowledge, products and experiences are meant to inform curriculum development and strengthen capacity in practice of scaling. The focus of the PhD position will be on advancing the science of scaling.

Intelligence for responsible innovation and scaling refers to the knowledge, tools and approaches that can promote responsible and sustainable innovation for widespread impact.

Intelligence, in this context, can refer to various forms such as (responsible) artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics for foresight and ex-ante impact assessment, or other types of research methods and collective learning approaches that can enable food system actors to perceive, understand, reason, and make informed decisions.

Responsible innovation emphasizes the need to consider the ethical, social, and environmental implications of technological advancements and to ensure that they align with societal values and goals. Scaling refers to the process of expanding and integrating innovative solutions or technologies to reach a broader audience or have a larger impact.

It involves overcoming challenges related to implementation, adoption, and scalability to achieve widespread and sustainable deployment.

Intelligence for responsible innovation and scaling aims to advanced solutions to solve complex problems while being mindful of potential risks and unintended consequences. It involves considering factors such as privacy, security, inclusivity, equality, transparency, and the potential impact on various stakeholders, including individuals, communities, and the environment.

Overall, the goal is to contribute to contribute to critical scholarly perspectives on responsible innovation and scaling, by exploring how to harness the power of knowledge, data and other forms of intelligence in a way that contributes to innovation for positive societal outcomes and limits negative impacts in a timely way, responds to needs or demands of innovation users/ clients, promotes sustainable development, and ensures that the benefits are widely accessible and equitable.

The PhD fellow is expected to lead the co-design, testing and validation of methods, approaches and/or tools that can strengthen timely intelligence

for responsible innovation and scaling in close collaboration with CGIAR and partner teams.

This is expected to generate insights on the conditions, factors and processes that enable or constrain collective intelligence for responsible innovation and scaling in agricultural research for development (AR4D).

Responsibilities of the fellow:

Design, implement and document/ publish scientific PhD research.

Develop a PhD-research proposal to be accepted by the Wageningen School of Social Sciences.

Develop and conduct a personal Training and Supervision Plan.

Conduct research on the topic in close collaboration with the CGIAR Regional Integrated Initiative on Diversification in East and Southern Africa (Ukama Ustawi).

Lead the design, testing and validation of approaches and/or tools that can advance intelligence in responsible innovation and scaling.

Write scientific articles about the findings and submit them to relevant international scientific journals.

Present PhD research findings at seminars and conferences.

Other duties

Collaborate and exchange with other PhD students in the science of scaling domain.

Contribute to Ukama Ustawi activities that align with PhD research.

Collaborate with the CGIAR Scaling Readiness team on topics that align with the PhD research.

Provide periodical reflections and recommendations to Ukama Ustawi Work Package 6 team.

Contribute to strategic communication efforts on the PhD research.

Requirements & qualifications:

A university degree (MSc) in a relevant scientific field that includes considerable social/ innovation science substance.

Strong interest in agricultural research for development, innovation and development impact.

An understanding/appreciation of the socio-economic and political dynamics of agricultural innovation and development in low- and middle-income or specifically SSA countries.

Ability to ‘think out of the box’ and proactively propose creative research ideas (e.g., translating concepts and tools used in other sectors).

Experience in independently designing, implementing and documenting scientific research.

Strong interpersonal, communication and network skills.

Good knowledge of English language, in listening, speaking and writing.

Competencies to use advanced qualitative and quantitative data collection and analysis tools, methods and software (e.g., machine learning, R, ODK).

Strong digital skills, including proficiency in presentation, project management and collaboration tools.

Experience in low- or middle-income countries in agricultural/ development settings.

Experience in facilitating events in a multi-cultural environment.

Teamwork – ability to lead work in an agile and fast-paced environment.

How to Apply

For more information and job application details, see; ILRI PhD Graduate Fellowship: Intelligence for Responsible Innovation and Scaling Jobs in Kenya

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