Research Officer – Fish Breeding 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 design, coordinate, and evaluate fish breeding and genetic improvement programmes aimed at enhancing aquaculture productivity, conserving genetic resources, and generating improved fish strains for sustainable aquaculture systems.

Qualifications and Experience

Applicants should hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Fisheries and Aquaculture, Zoology, or a related field, plus a Master’s Degree in Fish Breeding, Aquaculture Genetics, Animal Breeding, or a related discipline.

At least three years of demonstrated experience in fish breeding, aquaculture research, hatchery operations, fisheries genetics, or related research activities.

Experience in quantitative genetics, bioinformatics, molecular genetics, and genomic analysis will be an added advantage.

A proven record of publications in refereed scientific journals is an added advantage.

Possession of a PhD in Aquaculture Genetics, Fish Breeding, Animal breeding, or a related field is an added advantage.

Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Genetic Improvement: Develop and maintain selective breeding programs for key aquaculture species (e.g., Nile tilapia, catfish, Mirror carp, etc) to improve traits like growth rate, feed conversion, and disease resistance.

Data Collection & Analysis: Collecting phenotypic data, pedigree tracking, and biometric measurements to estimate heritability and breeding values.

Genomic Integration: Utilize modern genomic tools and marker-assisted selection (MAS) to accelerate genetic gain.

Hatchery Management: Provide technical oversight for bloodstock management, spawning, and larval rearing to ensure high-quality fry/fingerling production.

Research & Innovation: Conducting applied research to identify new productivity and resilience traits.

Stakeholder Engagement: Translate complex genetic and breeding data into practical guidelines for local fish farmers and hatchery operators.

Collect, characterizing, conserving, and sustainably utilize indigenous fish genetic resources for biodiversity conservation and genetic resource management.

Identify priority research areas in fish breeding, genetics, genomics, and aquaculture production systems to guide strategic research planning and innovation.

Develop or adopting and documenting technologies for propagation of new species in aquaculture

Additional Details

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

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

• Develop and maintain selective breeding programs for key aquaculture species (e.g., Nile tilapia, catfish, Mirror carp, etc) to improve traits like growth rate, feed conversion, and disease resistance.
• Collecting phenotypic data, pedigree tracking, and biometric measurements to estimate heritability and breeding values.
• Utilize modern genomic tools and marker-assisted selection (MAS) to accelerate genetic gain.
• Provide technical oversight for bloodstock management, spawning, and larval rearing to ensure high-quality fry/fingerling production.
• Conducting applied research to identify new productivity and resilience traits.
• Translate complex genetic and breeding data into practical guidelines for local fish farmers and hatchery operators.
• Collect, characterizing, conserving, and sustainably utilize indigenous fish genetic resources for biodiversity conservation and genetic resource management.
• Identify priority research areas in fish breeding, genetics, genomics, and aquaculture production systems to guide strategic research planning and innovation.
• Develop or adopting and documenting technologies for propagation of new species in aquaculture

• Quantitative genetics
• Bioinformatics
• Molecular genetics
• Genomic analysis
• Fish breeding
• Aquaculture research
• Hatchery operations
• Fisheries genetics

• Bachelor’s Degree in Fisheries and Aquaculture, Zoology, or a related field
• Master’s Degree in Fish Breeding, Aquaculture Genetics, Animal Breeding, or a related discipline
• At least three years of demonstrated experience in fish breeding, aquaculture research, hatchery operations, fisheries genetics, or related research activities
• Experience in quantitative genetics, bioinformatics, molecular genetics, and genomic analysis (added advantage)
• Proven record of publications in refereed scientific journals (added advantage)
• PhD in Aquaculture Genetics, Fish Breeding, Animal breeding, or a related field (added advantage)