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.