Research Officer – Biochemistry job at National Agricultural Research Organisation

Background

The National Agricultural Research Organisation is established by the National Agricultural Research Act 2005 as a body corporate with the mandate to provide strategic direction for publicly funded agricultural research in Uganda. The organisation is composed of the Council as its governing body, Committees of Council, a Secretariat for its day-to-day operations with semi-autonomous Public Agricultural Research Institutes (PARI’s) under its policy guidance. The Director General invites suitably qualified Ugandans to apply for the following positions at PARIs and NARO Secretariat.

Job Purpose

To generate robust datasets, harness biochemical insights and provide a supportive hand in guiding forestry policies.

Minimum Qualifications and Experience

Applicants should hold an Honour’s Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Sciences plus Master’s degree in Biochemistry.

Exhibit 3–5 years of demonstrated laboratory and field biogeochemistry experience, including plant, soil and gas sampling, trace gas fluxes, wet chemistry and chromatographic analysis.

Ability to operate and troubleshoot advanced analytical platforms such as Gas Chromatography (GC), Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS), spectrophotometry and apply stable isotope tracer methods.

Demonstrated expertise in ethnobotany, phytochemical profiling, or microbial ecology with direct application to forestry and agroforestry systems.

Proven record of at least two (2) peer‑reviewed scientific writing as the first or last author, advanced data analysis and effective stakeholder engagement across research, industry and policy domains will be an added advantage.

Exhibit understanding of forestry certification frameworks such as FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) and ability to align biochemical research outputs with sustainable forestry policies and standards.

Possession of a PhD is an added advantage.

Specific Tasks and Responsibilities

Elucidate chemical, physical and structural composition of cells and tissues in tree species and NTFPs for enhanced ecological resilience and forest health.

Monitor substrate quality, seedling metabolite status and mycorrhizal associations to optimize nursery practices for climate-smart silviculture.

Install, operating and troubleshooting non-destructive digital data acquisition tools for robust measurement of soil CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O fluxes

Conduct stable isotope tracer experiments and biochemical assays to understand soil nutrient dynamics and ecosystem resilience.

Profile stress metabolites and volatile organic compounds in drought- and pest-tolerant genotypes for adaptive forestry seed development.

Document indigenous knowledge and validate bioactivity of medicinal and aromatic plants for nutraceutical, cosmetology and health applications.

Support development of Forest Stewardship council (FSC), organic, phytosanitary and quality standards to ensure market access and compliance for forest-derived products.

Integrate phytoremediation knowledge by forestry screening for ecological restoration of degraded ecosystems, climate adaptation and food security.

Comply, analyze and curate biochemistry and ethnobotany datasets in NaFORI databases for long-term storage and retrieval.

Prepare reports, manuscripts, policy briefs and presentations to communicate findings to scientific, policy and community stakeholders.

Guide technicians, organize workshops and build institutional capacity in forest biochemistry, microbial ecology and bio-economy research.

Tenure of Office

The tenure of office is a 5-year contract renewable upon satisfactory performance.

Additional Notes

Only applications responding to this advertisement and its attendant timelines will be received.

• Elucidate chemical, physical and structural composition of cells and tissues in tree species and NTFPs for enhanced ecological resilience and forest health.
• Monitor substrate quality, seedling metabolite status and mycorrhizal associations to optimize nursery practices for climate-smart silviculture.
• Install, operating and troubleshooting non-destructive digital data acquisition tools for robust measurement of soil CO₂, CH₄ and N₂O fluxes
• Conduct stable isotope tracer experiments and biochemical assays to understand soil nutrient dynamics and ecosystem resilience.
• Profile stress metabolites and volatile organic compounds in drought- and pest-tolerant genotypes for adaptive forestry seed development.
• Document indigenous knowledge and validate bioactivity of medicinal and aromatic plants for nutraceutical, cosmetology and health applications.
• Support development of Forest Stewardship council (FSC), organic, phytosanitary and quality standards to ensure market access and compliance for forest-derived products.
• Integrate phytoremediation knowledge by forestry screening for ecological restoration of degraded ecosystems, climate adaptation and food security.
• Comply, analyze and curate biochemistry and ethnobotany datasets in NaFORI databases for long-term storage and retrieval.
• Prepare reports, manuscripts, policy briefs and presentations to communicate findings to scientific, policy and community stakeholders.
• Guide technicians, organize workshops and build institutional capacity in forest biochemistry, microbial ecology and bio-economy research.

• Laboratory and field biogeochemistry experience
• Plant, soil and gas sampling
• Trace gas fluxes analysis
• Wet chemistry and chromatographic analysis
• Operation and troubleshooting of Gas Chromatography (GC), Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (IRMS), spectrophotometry
• Application of stable isotope tracer methods
• Ethnobotany, phytochemical profiling, or microbial ecology expertise
• Advanced data analysis
• Stakeholder engagement
• Understanding of forestry certification frameworks (e.g., FSC)
• Ability to align research outputs with sustainable forestry policies

• Honour’s Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Sciences
• Master’s degree in Biochemistry
• 3–5 years of demonstrated laboratory and field biogeochemistry experience
• Proven record of at least two (2) peer‑reviewed scientific writing as the first or last author (added advantage)
• Possession of a PhD (added advantage)