Rwanda Plant Nutrient & Soil Systems Research Senior Specialist / Associate (Fixed-Term)

About One Acre Fund

Founded in 2006, One Acre Fund equips 5.5 million smallholder farmers to make their farms more productive. Across nine countries that together are home to two-thirds of Africa's farmers, we provide high-quality farm supplies, tree seedlings, accessible credit, modern agronomic training, and a wide range of other agricultural services. On average, this model enables any farmer to increase their income and assets on supported land by more than 35 percent, while permanently improving their resilience. This is all made possible by our team of 9,000+ full-time staff, drawn from diverse backgrounds and professions. To learn more, please see our Why Work Here blog post.

Our Rwanda program, founded in 2007 is our largest and operates under the local brand Tubura. We have more than 3,000 staff across all four provinces of Rwanda, as well as in Kigali. Together, we served more than 2.8 million farmers in 2024. We work closely with the government to support national efforts to improve food security. Additionally, we help channel funding and resources to promising agri-SMEs, supporting farmers by providing a market for high-impact crops such as coffee, avocado, and chili.

About the Role

Seeking 2 agronomic research professionals with 3-5+ years experience who will evaluate (microbial) plant nutrition products and soil health practices & assessment methods, build up our Soil & Plant Lab and design soil-improving cropping systems.

Responsibilities

Lead Applied Research & Innovation

• Design and deliver multidisciplinary research across cropping systems, soil health, and plant nutrient management to identify high-impact, scalable solutions for farmers.

• Assess feasibility, risk, and impact through trials, modelling, and comparative analysis.

Deliver Rigorous Trials & Actionable Insights

• Design scientifically robust trials and experimental methodologies, ensuring data quality, statistical validity, and clear reporting.

• Analyse and synthesise trial results into insights that inform products, practices, and strategic decisions.

• Design of agroforestry cropping systems or lead assessment of alternative (bio-) fertilisers, depending on specific role.

Translate Research into Scalable Farmer Solutions

• Convert research outputs into practical recommendations, decision-support tools (DSS), and operational products.

• Support smooth handover of validated interventions to commercial, extension, and operational teams; present findings to diverse stakeholders.

Provide Technical & People Leadership for Lab and Research Teams

• Oversee soil and plant laboratory operations, including methods, SOPs, KPIs, resourcing, and continuous improvement.

• Lead, mentor, and develop research and laboratory staff, aligning team performance with departmental goals.

Drive Strategy, Partnerships & Organisational Impact

• Contribute to and lead departmental strategies in research, soil health, laboratory services, and extension innovation.

• Build and manage strategic partnerships with research institutions, government, and industry to accelerate impact and scale.

Career Growth and Development

We have a strong culture of constant learning and we invest in developing our people. You’ll have weekly check-ins with your manager, access to mentorship and training programs, and regular feedback on your performance. We hold career reviews every six months, and set aside time to discuss your aspirations and career goals. You’ll have the opportunity to shape a growing organization and build a rewarding long-term career.

Qualifications

Across all roles, these are the general qualifications we look for. For this role specifically, you will have:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Agronomy, Soil Science, Environmental Science, or a related field.

• Experience in nutrient management and cycling (Nitrogen, Carbon, Soil Food Web) and soil health/fertility assessment.

• Experience designing agroecologically sound cropping systems or working with biofertilisers, especially plant growth–promoting microbes (role dependent).

• Experience applying experimental design and sampling best practices.

• Ability to analyse and model complex agronomic datasets using R, Excel, GIS, or related tools.

• Familiarity with soil and plant laboratory methods, with the capacity to supervise lab operations and quality standards.

• Strong communication skills, including technical reporting and presentations to diverse stakeholders.

• Proven ability to work independently with research partners and collaboratively across multidisciplinary teams.

Preferred Start Date

As soon as possible

Job Location

Rubengera, Rwanda

Benefits

Health insurance, housing, and comprehensive benefits

Contract Duration

2 Years (Renewable)

Eligibility

One Acre Fund can support a work permit for this role. However, nationals of (or those with an extensive professional background and work history in) our countries of operation are preferred.

Application Deadline

08 April 2026. Please note that we hire on a rolling basis which means that applications are reviewed and processed on a continuous basis until a hire is made.

One Acre Fund never asks candidates to pay any money or pay for tests at any stage of the interview process. Official One Acre Fund emails will always arrive from an @oneacrefund.org address. Please report any suspicious communication here ([email protected]), but do not send applications or application materials to this email address.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI), and anti-racism are deeply connected to our organization’s mission and purpose. One Acre Fund aspires to build a culture where all staff feel consistently valued, represented, and connected – so that our team can thrive as professionals, and achieve exceptional impact for the farmers we serve.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.