Position : Tissue Culture Expert for Cashew Variety

Reports to: Trade, Investment and Agri-food Innovation Lead

Location: Phnom Penh, Cambodia 

Period of Assignment: August 2026 to July 2027 

Duration:  up to 90 days (virtual and including travel to Cambodia) 

Employment type: International Consultant

Contractual arrangement: Eligible for individual international expert

Program Background

The CAPRED Facility is Australia’s flagship bilateral economic development program in Cambodia. The Facility supports Cambodia in implementing a range of necessary economic interventions and reforms to maintain the country’s economic transition. These interventions and reforms are primarily aimed at encouraging more productive and inclusive public and private investment, which promotes a resilient, inclusive and sustainable economy (RISE).

CAPRED interventions fall under three technical components including: Agriculture and Agro-processing; Trade, Investment and Enterprise Development and Infrastructure Development; and one Cross-Cutting component comprising: Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI), Climate Resilient initiatives, and policy support. GEDSI and climate are central to all CAPRED’s work.

Position Summary

To advance Cambodia's agri-food innovation ecosystem, CAPRED is seeking for a highly qualified Cashew Tissue Culture Expert. The expert will play a crucial role in improving the quality, uniformity, and availability of cashew planting materials. This consultancy aims to build local capacity and develop a viable protocol for the micropropagation of high-value Cambodian cashew varieties, particularly the M-23 cashew variety. The successful candidate will work closely with the CAPRED team, researchers from the Cambodian Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), and the lead plant breeder of the M-23 cashew variety to establish a foundation for a modern cashew propagation system in Cambodia.

Key Responsibilities

Phase 1: Information gathering and Recommendations

• Develop an inception report and workplan outlining the methodology, timeline, stakeholder engagement approach, and key assessment activities.
• Undertake a scoping assessment of tissue culture propagation for the M-23 cashew variety in Cambodia, drawing on Australian expertise to assess technical feasibility, commercial potential, and scalability.
• Engage with key industry stakeholders, including the M-23 plant breeder, nursery operators, farmers, processors, researchers, and other relevant actors to identify opportunities, constraints, and priority areas for investment and capacity development.
• Assess the institutional, technical, and commercial requirements necessary to establish a sustainable tissue culture system for Cambodian cashew varieties, particularly M-23.
• Identify practical entry points for CAPRED support and provide recommendations to strengthen commercialization, industry adoption, and long-term sustainability.
• Submit a final assessment report consolidating findings, recommendations for potential CAPRED interventions, implementation options, indicative budget estimates, and a proposed roadmap for scaling sustainable tissue culture propagation of Cambodian cashew varieties, particularly the M-23 variety.

Phase 2: Potential Implementation Support

The consultant may be engaged to undertake phase 2 implementation work, subject to satisfactory performance under phase 1 and CAPRED’s requirements. 

• Based on the study findings, the consultant may undertake the following scope of work:
• Develop and validate tissue culture propagation protocols for selected Cambodian cashew varieties, with a primary focus on the M-23 variety.
• Lead the technical implementation of tissue culture activities, including explant initiation, multiplication, rooting, acclimatisation, and quality assurance processes.
• Design and deliver practical training and capacity-building programs for selected partners, including researchers, plant breeders, and commercial nursery operators.
• Support the establishment and management of nursery and field trials for tissue-cultured planting materials, including the development of technical guidelines and monitoring frameworks.
• Collaborate with CAPRED and local partners to monitor plantlet performance, assess commercial viability, and identify pathways for scaling tissue culture propagation within Cambodia's cashew sector.

Essential Criteria

• At least a master’s degree in plant biotechnology, Horticulture, Plant Science, or a related field, preferably Australian expert. 
• A minimum of 10 years of demonstrated experience in plant tissue culture and micropropagation like cashew variety. 
• Direct experience with cashew (Anacardium occidentale) tissue culture is highly desirable and will be a significant advantage.
• Demonstrated experience in designing and delivering technical training and capacity-building programs to researchers and technicians.
• Familiarity with the Cambodian cashew context is a plus.
• Excellent communication and mentorship skills, with an ability to work effectively in a cross-cultural environment.
• Experience working on international development projects, preferably in Southeast Asia.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Fluency in written and spoken English is mandatory.
• Demonstrated knowledge and experience in implementing GEDSI principles and climate resilience into assessments and recommendations.
• Demonstrated ability to work constructively with a diverse team, including the CAPRED team, other experts, and CAPRED's partners.

Closing Date: We are seeking the most qualified candidate and therefore do not have a formal application deadline. We encourage interested applicants to submit their applications as soon as possible. We will begin reviewing applications on a rolling basis, starting one to two weeks after this announcement is posted.

How to Apply

Please send your cover letter and CV with name and contact details (phone and email) of three professional referees with your daily rate expectation to recruitment@capred.org mentioning the position you apply for in the subject line “Tissue Culture Expert for Cashew”.

Cowater International is an equal opportunity employer, basing employment on merit and qualifications as they relate to the professional experience and position expectations. Cowater does not discriminate against any employee or applicants on the basis of race, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, age, or any other basis protected by law.  CAPRED aims to have a diverse workforce at all levels, and a workplace that is supportive of gender equality, disability and social inclusion. Women, people with disabilities and other minorities are highly encouraged to apply.

Only applicants shortlisted will be contacted.