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Sumatra Bioscience North Sumatra, Indonesia Vacancy for a Statistician – 1 or 2 year appointment Key requirements 1. Postgraduate (MSc or PhD) statistician with interest in Agriculture and Bioscience. 2. Working experience an advantage, but new and upcoming graduates are actively encouraged to apply. 3. Temporary appointment for 1 or 2 years, to be made as soon as is practicable for students currently in training. 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.