ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi nˈaɪn, dɹˈɪvən baɪ ɐ nˈiːd tə sˈiː ðə tˈuːlz ʌv sˈaɪəns mˈoːɹ bɹˈɔːdli æksˈɛsəbəl ænd mˈoːɹ ɪfˈɛktɪvli jˈuːzd ɪn kˈɑːmplɛks ɛnvˈaɪɹənmənts, dʒˈɛfɚsən dʒˈɔɪnd ðə fˈuːd ænd ˈæɡɹɪkˌʌltʃɚɹ ˌɔːɹɡɐnᵻzˈeɪʃən ʌvðə juːnˈaɪɾᵻd nˈeɪʃənz ˌɛfˌeɪˈoʊ æz sˈiːnjɚ sˈaɪəntɪst, ðə fˈɜːst məlˈɛkjʊlɚ baɪˈɑːlədʒˌɪst ɪn ðɪs pəzˈɪʃən.
In 1989, driven by a need to see the tools of science more broadly accessible and more effectively used in complex environments, Jefferson joined the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) as senior scientist, the first molecular biologist in this position.