Sumatra Bioscience
North Sumatra, Indonesia

Vacancy for a Statistician – 1 or 2 year appointment

Key requirements
1. Postgraduate (MSc or PhD) statistician with expertise in
Agriculture and Bioscience.
2. Working experience an advantage, but new graduates would
be considered.
3. Temporary appointment for 1 or 2 years, to be made as
soon as possible.
4. Good working conditions.
Sumatra Bioscience
Bah Lias Research Station (BLRS) is the main Research Centre of Sumatra
Bioscience – a newly created subsidiary of London Sumatra Indonesia (Lonsum), a
leading and long-established Indonesian Plantation Company. It has
comprehensive facilities in both North and South Sumatra and its role is to supply
materials and advice to both Lonsum and outside companies – particularly for oil
palm, rubber and cocoa crops. BLRS provides materials and services based on
the results of a major research programme of extensive trials carried out
over more than 20 years; and through the knowledge and experience of its
specialised staff. In October 2008 Sumatra Bioscience announced the publication of
a patent application to produce F1 Oil Palm hybrids. This places the
company in the forefront of Oil Palm breeding for the future because it is the
first organisation to have developed this technology for oil palm.
BLRS has gained the reputation of being a small producer of superior oil
palm seed. The current breeding and biotechnology research programme is
focussed to strengthen this position in the future. BLRS has more than 45
experienced Indonesian graduates, led by a British Research Director and supported by a
team of internationally renowned consultants who are leaders in their fields
and make regular advisory visits.
BLRS operates two main research stations, at Bah Lias estate, Perdagangan in
North Sumatra and at Riam Indah estate in the Musi Rawas region of South
Sumatra. Both stations have extensive computer facilities for the storage and
analysis of research and advisory data.
BLRS has five technical sections which carry out research and offer advice
in the following fields:
AGRONOMY: optimal crop management
BIOTECHNOLOGY: advanced tissue culture & molecular biology
techniques
BREEDING: provision of superior planting materials
CROP PROTECTION: protection against pests and diseases
STATISTICS: experimental design, storage, analysis
and interpretation of research trials
Statistics & Data Analysis
The BLRS Statistics & Data Analysis Section is responsible for providing
advice on Statistics and Data Management for all scientists in BLRS. In
addition the group is responsible for checking, entering, summarising, analysing and
archiving all trial data using a network of computers and advanced
statistical packages. The main packages in use at BLRS are GenStat, Agrobase and
Excel, and there are additional database programs written in dBase, Access and
Oracle.
All BLRS trials are carefully designed so that they can be analysed by the
Statistics & Data Analysis Section according to strict statistical principles,
ensuring the results are reliable and meet the objectives set by the
scientist,
Individual BLRS research staff can readily access the original, summarised
or analysed data via the BLRS network.
Future Development
1. Current Vacancy
BLRS has a 1 or 2 year vacancy, to be made as soon as practicable, for a
well-qualified, practically-oriented new postgraduate statistician (MSc or PhD)
to work as a Senior Statistical Officer with a remit to:
o Develop a strong statistical culture at BLRS
o Ensure that local statistical staff have all the skills (technical
and interpersonal) required to advise on the design, analysis and
interpretation of trials requested by the scientific staff
o Develop a system whereby this can work effectively in an environment
which is receptive to the introduction of change
o Advise the Research Director on the provision of training where
required
o Develop Agrobase as a central repository for all research data
generated within Indonesia and in Ghana where Sumatra Bioscience has an oil palm
breeding joint venture
o Interact with the Agrobase producers in Canada to optimise the use
of their software for Sumatra Bioscience and perennial crop breeders
2. Employment conditions
These are to be confirmed with senior management at BLRS, but will include:
o A competitive salary – free of tax for a non-Indonesian
o On-site accommodation and subsistence allowance
o Annual holiday allowance and return air fares from home country
Applications
Applications, with a full curriculum vitae and names and addresses of 2
referees should be sent to the Research Director, Dr Stephen Nelson
([log in to unmask] (mailto:[log in to unmask]) ) and
 the Lonsum statistical consultant, Dr Derek Pike ([log in to unmask]
(mailto:[log in to unmask]) ). Informal enquiries can be made to Dr Pike.
Closing date for applications is 28 February 2009. It is hoped to hold
interviews in Reading, UK in the week beginning 16 March 2009. Alternative
arrangements will be made for promising applicants from other parts of the
world.