The Organization
The International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) is part of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT. CIAT delivers research-based solutions that harness agricultural biodiversity and sustainably transform food systems to improve people’s lives. CIAT solutions address the global crisis of malnutrition, climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation.
CIAT works with local, national and multinational partners across Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and Africa, and with the public and private sectors. CIAT is part of CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future, dedicated to transforming food, land and water systems in a climate crisis.
About the position
CIAT is looking for a skilled Research Associate (Statistical Modeler) to support the agroclimatology team in crop-climate modelling. This work will feed into a user-friendly platform which enables resilience planning for agri-food businesses, public and private agronomists, investors and researchers to explore climate layers, risk and opportunity areas for crop production as well as environmental trends over time.
Key duties and responsibilities
Research and Analysis:
- Support crop analysis efforts by assisting in desk-based data collection and in-depth analysis on crop physiology, productivity and trend analysis;
- Work with datasets from diverse sources and models under guidance, learning how to process and interpret them for agricultural analysis;
- Run and interpret machine learning and statistical models (e.g. GAMs) to understand crop-climate interactions and future climate impact on crop production;
- Help compile and organize data from diverse datasets, including climate models, satellite imagery, and agronomic data, to enhance the accuracy of predictions;
- Contribute to systems thinking methodologies to analyze interactions, feedback loops, and emergent behaviors within the targeted systems.
Communication and Outreach:
- Support the communication of research findings by contributing to internal reports, visual summaries, and draft content for presentations or publications;
- Engage with other research teams (especially business impact modelling) to communicate findings and outputs.
Interdisciplinary Collaboration:
- Collaborate with experts from various disciplines, including ecology, sociology, economics, and policy, to foster a holistic understanding of complex systems.
Continuous Learning:
- Stay abreast of the latest developments in statistics and data science, agroclimatology, complexity theory, and plant physiology research;
- Actively seek opportunities for professional development and contribute to building the knowledge base within the organization.
Required qualifications and experience
- A Bachelor’s degree in a relevant statistics or data analytics field (e.g., statistics, applied mathematics, ecological modelling, environmental science, economics, climate science, agricultural meteorology), with at least two years of working experience;
- Proficiency in quantitative research methods;
- Strong programming skills for model development (e.g., Python, R);
- Nice to have: Familiarity with climate modeling tools, GIS techniques, and relevant software;
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate across disciplines;
- Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment;
- Ability to communicate complex ideas effectively, verbally and in writing, in English.
Terms of employment
This position is a national recruited position based in Hanoi, Vietnam. The initial contract will be for 1 year, subject to a probation period of 2 months, and is renewable depending on performance and availability of resources.
This position is graded at BG6 level, with a minimum basic salary of VND 24,487,062 in a scale of BG01 to BG14 (BG14 being the highest level according to CIAT job classification framework policy). We offer a competitive salary and excellent benefits including but not limited to monthly allowances, insurance, retirement plan, staff training and development, paid time off and flexible working arrangements.
CIAT is committed to fair, safe, and inclusive workplaces. We believe that diversity powers our innovation, contributes to our excellence, and is critical for our mission. Recruiting and mentoring staff to create an inclusive organization that reflects our global character is a priority. We encourage applicants from all cultures, races, colors, religions, sexes, national or regional origins, ages, disability statuses, sexual orientations, marital status, and gender identities. Female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
Applications
Applicants are invited to visit https://alliancebioversityciat.org/careers to get full details of the position and to submit their applications. Applications MUST include reference number (RFP300765) – Research Associate (Statistical Modeler) as the position applied for. Cover letter and CV should be saved as one document using the candidate’s last name, first name for ease of sorting (Cover letter should illustrate your motivation to apply and suitability for the above position against the listed qualifications and work responsibilities. Detailed curriculum vitae should include the names and email addresses of three professional referees who are knowledgeable about your skills and professional abilities).
CIAT collects and processes personal data in accordance with applicable data protection laws.
Applications closing date: 21 September 2025
Please note that email applications will not be considered.
Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.
We invite you to learn more about us at:
http://alliancebioversityciat.org