IITA Recruitment 2026: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture opens vacancies – Apply Now

The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has announced recruitment for several positions in Ibadan, Oyo State, with opportunities available across project administration, facility maintenance, welding and research support.

IITA is a not-for-profit agricultural research institution focused on developing innovations to address challenges including hunger, malnutrition, poverty and natural resource degradation across Africa.

The institute works with partners across sub-Saharan Africa to improve livelihoods, strengthen food and nutrition security, create employment opportunities and promote sustainable management of natural resources. IITA is also a member of CGIAR, a global agricultural research partnership focused on food security.

Among the positions currently advertised are Project Administrator, Facilities Supervisor, Senior Welder and Research Assistant – Breeding Data Management.

1. Project Administrator

Location: Ibadan, Oyo State
Job ID: IITA/P&C/NRS2026-051
Employment Type: Contract
Duration: Two years, renewable
Application Deadline: Not specified

Key Responsibilities

The Project Administrator will provide administrative and operational coordination for the I-Youth 2.0 programme across Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

Responsibilities include:

• Coordinating administrative and operational activities across the three countries.
• Developing and maintaining programme-wide administrative frameworks, trackers, calendars and workflow systems.
• Coordinating administrative requirements arising from the programme work plan.
• Monitoring administrative actions, deadlines, bottlenecks and operational risks.
• Serving as the central administrative link between programme management and country teams.
• Supporting country coordinators in planning administrative requirements for programme activities.
• Coordinating preparations for trainings, workshops, field missions, meetings and stakeholder engagements.
• Working with procurement officers and technical teams to track procurement and contracting requirements.
• Coordinating administrative documentation for payments, advances, retirements and other financial processes.
• Supporting programme travel arrangements, including flights, accommodation, transportation and visa documentation.
• Coordinating with Finance, Procurement, Human Resources, Travel, ICT, Legal and other institutional units.
• Establishing and maintaining a central programme records management system.
• Preparing administrative updates and reports for programme management.
• Monitoring administrative and operational risks.
• Developing tools, templates and procedures to improve administrative efficiency.
• Performing other administrative duties assigned by the supervisor.

Requirements

Applicants must have:

• A Master’s Degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Secretariat Administration, Management Sciences, Accounting, Economics, Social Sciences or a related discipline.
• At least seven years of relevant experience in project administration, office management or programme support within a reputable organisation.

Desired Competencies

The ideal candidate should have:

• Experience supporting donor-funded development projects or international organisations.
• Experience coordinating project logistics, procurement processes, travel arrangements and administrative operations.
• Ability to work with multidisciplinary teams and manage multiple assignments.
• Knowledge of administrative, financial and procurement procedures within development programmes.
• Strong organisational, planning and coordination skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal and stakeholder-management abilities.
• High attention to detail and accuracy.
• Good problem-solving and analytical skills.
• High integrity, professionalism and confidentiality.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and virtual collaboration tools.

Remuneration

IITA says it offers a highly competitive salary, attractive benefits and excellent working conditions in a pleasant campus environment.

Application Deadline: Not specified.

How to Apply: Interested and qualified candidates should apply online through the IITA recruitment platform.

2. Facilities Supervisor

Location: Ibadan, Oyo State
Job ID: IITA/P&C/NRS2026-063
Contract: Two-year renewable contract
Application Deadline: October 2, 2026

Responsibilities

The successful candidate will:

• Maintain screen houses and glasshouses to ensure they function properly and meet research requirements.
• Supervise screen house staff, technicians and casual workers.
• Coordinate construction of new screen houses and related infrastructure.
• Carry out repairs involving roofing glass, nets and frames.
• Supervise washing, cleaning and fumigation of screen and glasshouses.
• Conduct daily inspections to identify maintenance and repair needs.
• Oversee the requisition, collection and use of construction and repair materials.
• Maintain daily reports on maintenance, construction and operational activities.
• Ensure compliance with health, safety and environmental standards.
• Track labour, materials and maintenance costs to support budgeting and cost-recovery planning.
• Perform other duties assigned by the Head of Farm Management.

Requirements

• HND or B.Sc. in Agricultural Engineering, Civil Engineering, Building Technology or a related field.
• Certification in Construction Management or Facility Maintenance will be an advantage.
• 3–5 years of hands-on experience in facility maintenance, construction or agricultural infrastructure management.

Competencies

Applicants should have knowledge or experience in:

• Workplace safety, PPE and safe construction practices.
• HS&E or risk management.
• Research farm infrastructure or controlled-environment agriculture.
• Screen house and glasshouse maintenance.
• Automated screen house systems, including temperature, humidity and irrigation controls.
• Staff and casual labour supervision.
• Construction or project supervision.
• Reading construction drawings and technical manuals.
• Procurement and vendor management.
• Cost tracking, reporting and documentation.
• Donor compliance and reporting.
• Microsoft Office applications.
• ERP or facility management software.
• English language communication.

Deadline: October 2, 2026

Application: Interested candidates should apply online through the IITA recruitment portal.

3. Senior Welder

Location: Ibadan, Oyo State
Job ID: IITA/P&C/NRS2026-062
Contract: Two-year renewable contract
Application Deadline: October 2, 2026

Responsibilities

The Senior Welder will:

• Weld and repair farm machinery and implements, including tractors, irrigation equipment and heavy-duty tools.
• Fabricate metal structures for research facilities, including screen houses, greenhouses, irrigation frames and fencing.
• Measure, cut and prepare metals according to design specifications.
• Use appropriate MIG, TIG, stick, arc and gas welding techniques.
• Carry out preventive maintenance on welded structures.
• Maintain safe working conditions and comply with health, safety and environmental standards.
• Keep daily records of welding and fabrication activities, materials used and labour hours.
• Provide information for equipment investment planning.
• Train and guide junior welders and casual workers.
• Perform other duties assigned by the Head of Farm Management.

Requirements

• National Diploma (ND) in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
• NABTEB Technical Certificate in Welding and Fabrication will be an advantage.
• 2–4 years of proven welding and fabrication experience in a structured workshop or farm setting.

Competencies

The ideal candidate should have:

• Training or certification in occupational health and safety.
• Experience in agricultural research institutions or farm mechanisation projects.
• Skills in MIG, TIG, stick and gas welding.
• Familiarity with ERP or work-order tracking systems.
• Experience with CNC cutting or advanced metalworking tools.
• Knowledge of metals, alloys and welding consumables.
• Experience fabricating irrigation systems or research screen houses.
• Strong knowledge of workplace safety and PPE requirements.
• Supervisory skills.
• Ability to interpret technical drawings and fabrication plans.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision and maintain precision.
• Good English communication and reporting skills.

Deadline: October 2, 2026

Application: Interested and qualified candidates should apply online through the IITA recruitment portal.

4. Research Assistant – Breeding Data Management

Location: Oyo State
Application Deadline: October 2, 2026

IITA also listed a vacancy for Research Assistant – Breeding Data Management.

However, the details supplied for this position do not include the job ID, full duties, qualifications, competencies, remuneration or application instructions.

Applicants interested in this position should therefore check the official IITA recruitment page for the complete vacancy description and eligibility requirements before applying.

How to Apply

Applicants should apply online through the relevant IITA recruitment platform for the position of interest.

Candidates are advised to carefully review the specific qualifications and experience requirements before submitting their applications.

For vacancies with a stated closing date, applicants should submit their applications before the deadline.

Important Deadline

The application deadline for the following positions is October 2, 2026:

• Facilities Supervisor
• Senior Welder
• Research Assistant – Breeding Data Management

The deadline for the Project Administrator position was not specified in the information supplied.

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